


Library Science

by regenderate



Series: Good Company [2]
Category: A Series of Unfortunate Events (TV), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: F/F, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-11-20
Packaged: 2019-05-19 00:51:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 49,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14863533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/regenderate/pseuds/regenderate
Summary: “What do you think?” Jenny asked.“I believe that Buffy deserves a pasttime other than killing the undead,” Olivia replied, “and that life is nothing without stories and friends to share them with.”--Olivia Caliban is just a high school librarian who cares a lot about her job. And the cute computer science teacher. And all these kids who are running around slaying vampires. (Sequel to my work Good Company. AU starting from s1e3 "Witch" and continuing from there.)





	1. Witch

**Author's Note:**

  * For [The_Eclectic_Bookworm](https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Eclectic_Bookworm/gifts).



> i had things to say here and then i forgot them. so. 1. gifted to celia because bless her soul 2. i'm trying to do, like, roughly an episode a chapter, but i might compress some episodes and lengthen others. 3. i'm going to try and update fairly regularly! i'm really excited to finish chapter 2 even if it *is* teacher's pet (there's some Angel Drama)

Olivia Caliban felt like she had been dropped into a leech-filled lake and told to swim with no prior instruction in either swimming or repelling leeches. She was a librarian at a high school, which was perfectly normal, yes, but she was also now playing paranormal expert to a group of incredibly intelligent kids who had been forced into far too much at far too young of an age, and she was doing so with a  _ very  _ pretty computer science teacher who she had also just met, and she had no clue how to navigate any of it.

On this particular day, she was dealing with her overwhelming circumstances by reshelving books about the Middle Ages., alone in the back of the stacks. After a while, she heard some noises from the library, which she ignored-- probably just Willow or Buffy or Xander, she reasoned-- until Jenny Calendar came through and tapped her on the shoulder.

“Hey,” she said, “Buffy wants to know if we want to come with her on patrol tonight. Apparently part of the whole Slayer thing is wandering around all night and looking for trouble.”

Olivia shelved one last book.

“I would be honored,” she said. “I was given to understand that a Slayer works alone.”

“She says she wants feedback on her fighting style,” Jenny said, “but I think she’s just lonely.”

“Well, I’ve read a lot about different types of fighting,” Olivia said, “although I can’t say I’m well-versed in the practical applications.”

“This is your chance,” Jenny said, grinning. “We’re going to meet at Final Rest Cemetery at eight.”

“I’ll be there.” 

Olivia turned back to the shelves, smiling.

She wasn’t oblivious to her situation. She knew she had the beginnings of a crush on Jenny. She knew that the more she did things like accept offers to co-chaperone Buffy’s patrols, the further she would fall. She knew that the chances of Jenny being into her were slim, and she knew that she couldn’t do anything about it without taking more risks than she was prepared to take. She had been fired from her last job for being openly lesbian, and she hadn’t even been dating anyone at the time. She liked her job in Sunnydale, and, more importantly, she had students who counted on her. Like Buffy. 

And she also liked Jenny Calendar. She wasn’t going to do anything to put that friendship in danger.

She finished her reshelving and moved to the front of the library, where Jenny was overseeing the usual scanning operation while Buffy and Xander hung around, watching. As Jenny moved from person to person, giving advice and tucking some hair behind her ear as she went (not that Olivia was paying attention), Olivia moved around the knot of people to her desk. She did technically have to check the drop boxes, even though she knew no one ever checked out books, much less returned them. Today, as usual, there was nothing in the boxes, so she went instead to Jenny.

“I don’t suppose you need help with anything,” she said.

Jenny looked up. 

“What? Oh. Um, you could reshelve these ones we’ve already scanned.” She gestured at a stack of books next to the nearest computer.

“Okay,” Olivia replied, and picked up the stack. “Be careful with the more mystical books, by the way. I’m fairly certain some of them won’t take well to being computerized, but I’m going to have to do a few tests.”

“Sounds good,” Jenny said. “We’ll be careful, right, kids?”

Her students gave an absent murmur of agreement.

Before long, it was 5:30, and Jenny’s students were packing up. Olivia was at her desk, reading, and Jenny leaned up against the desk and said, “I’m heading out. Do you want a ride home?”

Olivia looked up and was immediately distracted by Jenny’s eyelashes.

“Sure,” she said. “Just let me find a bookmark.”

“You can’t just dog-ear it?” Jenny asked.

Olivia looked at her with an expression of pure horror.

“Kidding!” Jenny exclaimed. “You should see the look on your face. Here, use this index card.”

Olivia took the card and put it into her book with as much dignity as she could muster. She put the book into her bag and, slinging the bag over her shoulder, stood up.

“It’s bad form to scare your friends like that,” she said.

“Oh, we’re friends, then?” Jenny asked. “I was thinking we were just, you know, coworkers with a shared mission or something.”

“Do you not want to be my friend?” Olivia asked, suddenly afraid.

“Of course I want to be your friend,” Jenny said. “God, we sound like middle schoolers. Come on, let’s go.”

The ride home was far too short for Olivia. After she thanked Jenny and went inside, she ate dinner alone, drinking a cup of tea and reading a book over the top of her bowl, enjoying the quiet routine of it. By the time she was done with that, it was only six, so she started thinking about what to wear. Pretty much everything she owned was librarian clothes: pencil skirts, sweaters, and high heels. After all, she  _ had  _ moved to Sunnydale to become a librarian.

Of course, life had other plans for her, and now she was seriously considering going out and buying some clothes that were better for things like creeping around graveyards at night. For now, though, she just had to make do with what she owned. 

Two hours later, she was walking to the cemetery, wearing her thickest pair of tights underneath her longest skirt and most flexible jacket and clutching the cross that Buffy had given her in her right hand. She was not about to let a vampire jump her in between her home and the Slayer. 

Buffy was standing at the entrance, waiting, and a couple minutes later, Jenny walked up, wearing jeans and a leather jacket. Olivia had to take a moment just to take in the way the jacket hugged Jenny’s waist, but Buffy had other ideas.

“Come on,” she said, starting for the cemetery.

Olivia’s eyes snapped back up, and she hastily turned and followed Buffy. Fortunately, Jenny didn’t seem to have noticed anything amiss, and they all walked into the cemetery together. 

Buffy didn’t really need feedback on her fighting technique, Olivia realized as she watched the first vampire turn to dust. At least, not from a couple of high school teachers who had no training. She moved faster than Olivia’s eye could follow, landing kick after punch until she managed to get that stake to the heart.

After the first mini-battle, during which Buffy successfully fought off three vampires at once, Olivia and Jenny both clapped, and Buffy looked embarrassed.

“Where do you get your stakes?” Olivia asked.

“I make them,” Buffy said. “I lose them a lot.”

Olivia filed that information away for future use just as she saw a vampire approaching Buffy from behind. 

“Buffy, look out!” Jenny yelled, before Olivia could.

Buffy spun around and swiftly punched the stake through the vampire’s heart. She turned back to Olivia and Jenny, her hair flipping. 

“How’s that?” she asked.

“Very good,” Olivia said, a little shaken at how fast the vampires turned to dust. Not that she would ever let Buffy see that.

The next day, Buffy showed up in the library after school dressed in a Sunnydale High cheerleader uniform.

“Guess what?” she asked Olivia excitedly.

“Oh, you’re into cheerleading?” Olivia asked.

“Yep!” Buffy exclaimed, sticking her pompoms in the air. “I was really into it at my old school, but then a lot of stuff happened and I had to quit the team. So I’m going to try again!”

“Good luck,” Olivia told her, and Buffy ran over to show Jenny. 

That was the moment Olivia realized she’d basically adopted a Slayer. As Buffy ran out of the library, racing to get to try-outs on time, Jenny walked over and leaned on Olivia’s desk in that entirely casual way she had.

“What do you think?” she asked.

Olivia put down her book. 

“Of what?” 

“Buffy. Cheerleading. The meaning of life.” Jenny shrugged. “Whatever.”

“I believe that Buffy deserves a pasttime other than killing the undead,” Olivia replied, “and that life is nothing without stories and friends to share them with.”

Jenny grinned. 

“I would expect nothing less,” she said. “Hey, do you have a moment? I want to show you how we’re doing the digital catalog, so you don’t need me hovering all the time.”

“Oh, I’d love to learn,” Olivia said. “I’ve been meaning to learn more about computers. They’re very new to me, and I’m not sure I can afford to have one of my own yet.”

“Well, you’re welcome to stop by the lab anytime,” Jenny said. “And I’m sure we can find a way to finance one to stay in the library permanently.”

“I would like that very much,” Olivia said, walking around her desk to follow Jenny to the computers. “Maybe we could have a sort of digital check-out system? I don’t quite know what computers can do.”

“More and more by the minute,” Jenny said. “I’ve always thought computers and libraries have more in common than your average librarian seems to think.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Olivia said.

And as she watched Jenny working on the digital catalogue, she realized how much Jenny really did love computers. It was nice, to watch someone take joy in their life. Olivia wondered whether she had ever really taken that much joy in anything. Maybe when she was reading.

The day’s cataloguing was interrupted, however, by Buffy, Willow, and Xander running into the library. Buffy ran right to where Olivia and Jenny were standing, discussing the merits of a manual versus digital checkout system, and said, “I need you guys to look up spontaneous combustion.”

Jenny and Olivia both did a double-take.

“You need  _ what _ ?” Jenny asked.

“What happened?” Olivia asked, thinking maybe she already knew.

“One of the girls at tryouts,” Buffy explained. “She was doing her routine, completely  _ not  _ on fire, and then suddenly, she was very much on fire.”

“It was awful,” Willow added, eyes wide. 

“Who was it?” Jenny asked. Olivia reminded herself that Jenny actually taught classes-- she probably knew this girl.

“Amber,” Buffy said.

“Has this happened to her before?” Olivia asked.

“I don’t know,” Buffy said.

“I think we would’ve heard about it,” Xander said. “People don’t often get set on fire.”

“This is Sunnydale,” Willow said. “We don’t always hear about it when things happen.”

“Hang on,” Jenny said. “I have access to the school’s records. It’s not  _ quite  _ within the rules for me to share them with students, but… I can at least find out whether this has happened to Amber before. Willow, do you want to help me with that?”

Willow nodded.

“I’ll start looking up cases of spontaneous combustion,” Olivia said. 

“I can ask around,” Xander said.

“Wait,” Buffy said. “You guys don’t all have to help me. The Slayer works alone, remember?”

“Not this Slayer,” Jenny said.

“Yeah!” Willow said. “You’re the Slayer, and we’re, like, the Slayerettes!”

“It’s dangerous,” Buffy said.

“It’s more dangerous if you do it alone,” Olivia told her. “We want to help you.”

“Yeah, but you don't have superpowers,” Buffy said.

“Hey, don’t look a gift horse in the mouth,” Jenny protested. 

“Especially if it has fangs,” Olivia added. “Not that we have fangs, of course.”

“Hey, I can deal with fangs,” Buffy said. “It’s this fire stuff I'm worried about.”

“Go home and get some sleep,” Jenny said. “We’ll call you if we find anything.”

“Okay,” Buffy said. She turned and walked out the door, the ends of her pom-poms trailing on the floor. 

“Poor kid,” Jenny said, already moving to a computer. 

“I'm sure I have something around here about fire,” Olivia mused. “I'll have to check the card catalog.”

“Right,” Xander said. “This is starting to sound a lot like homework, so I'm going to go talk to Amber’s friends.”

“Have fun,” Willow said, making her way across the library. 

After a few hours, it became clear that they weren’t going to find anything helpful, and all Amber’s friends had left the school, so Olivia and Jenny sent Willow and Xander home. As those two left, Olivia said, “I think I'm going to have to make a point of reading every supernatural book in this library.”

“That's what the supernatural does to you,” Jenny said. “Pulls you in, and now you know, you can't get out. Be glad it's Buffy who got you in and not a vampire.”

“Who got you in?” Olivia asked, her voice soft. 

“My uncle,” Jenny said. “My family has a whole revenge thing-- it's complicated. But basically I was sent here to keep my eye on a vampire.”

“That sounds much less desirable than choosing this,” Olivia said. 

“I like to think I'm choosing  _ this _ ,” Jenny answered. “The part where I'm helping Buffy and doing research with you. No one sent me here to do that.”

“I like that,” Olivia said. “I feel much the same way, although of course my family no longer takes an interest in my affairs.”

“Sometimes I wish mine were like that,” Jenny said. “It must be so freeing.”

“It comes at a terrible cost,” warned Olivia. “I often feel so very alone.”

Jenny was looking at her with a strange focus. 

“You don’t have to be alone,” she said.

Olivia looked down.

“I don’t know,” she said. “It’s easier, sometimes. But I don’t want to forget how to care.”

“Yeah,” Jenny said. “I know the feeling. Remind me, okay?”

“I’ll be sure to,” Olivia said.

“Hey, do you need a ride home?”

“That would be excellent,” Olivia said, checking her watch. It was after sunset.

Jenny drove Olivia home in a companionable silence, and as Olivia got out of the car, Jenny said, “See you tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow,” Olivia confirmed, getting out of the car. 

She fell asleep feeling content, somehow.

The next day, when Willow came in during sixth period, she looked sad, somehow. Olivia went up to her and asked what was wrong, and Willow just responded, “I don’t know,” still scratching out her homework.

Olivia sat down.

“I find that when people say they don’t know what’s wrong,” she said, “they really do know and they just don’t want to say. I’m not going to pressure you into telling me anything, Willow, but I want you to know you can trust me.”

Willow looked up and put her pencil down. 

“It’s just, I can’t stop thinking about Jesse.”

“Of course,” Olivia said. “He was your friend.”

“They never gave him a funeral or anything,” Willow said. “I don’t think his parents even notice he’s gone. But we were friends for so many years.”

“That’s terrible,” Olivia said. “We should do something.”

“Like what?” Willow asked, startled. 

“I don’t know,” Olivia admitted. “A memorial, maybe. Maybe Jenny-- Ms. Calendar-- will have some ideas. Is it all right if I ask her?”

“Okay,” Willow said. She looked like she felt a little better. “I guess maybe I should be used to sudden deaths and disappearances by now.”

“No one should be used to sudden deaths and disappearances,” Olivia said firmly. “You should be allowed to mourn your friend. Have you talked to Xander about it?”

“I think he’d rather be talking to Buffy,” Willow said, sad again.

“He and Jesse were friends,” Olivia said. “It might make you both feel better. You’re not alone, Willow.”

Willow shrugged.

“Thanks, Ms. Caliban,” she said.

“Best of luck, Willow,” Olivia said, and she stood up and went back to the library desk. She was clearing off a space for the new computer Jenny was trying to get her, which was actually taking quite a lot of effort. Olivia prided herself on being organized and tidy, but having to reorganize her space was proving to be difficult.

By the time Jenny got there for the afternoon’s scanning, though, the space was relatively clear, and everything that had been in it had been moved to another part of the desk. Olivia was looking at the space, proud of her work, when Jenny came up to the desk and said, “Looks clean.”

Olivia looked up and smiled.

“I’ve been rearranging.”

“I can see that,” Jenny said. “Looks good.”

“And I was talking to Willow. We need to figure out a way to have a memorial for Jesse.”

“Her friend who died?” Jenny asked. “Yeah, we really should do something. We could plant a tree for him in the woods. Or-- do you know what he liked?”

“I didn’t get to know him very well,” Olivia said. “We could ask Willow, or Xander.”

“Okay,” Jenny said. “Willow will be coming in soon to help, I think. So we can ask her then.”

“Sounds good,” Olivia said.

Before Willow came in, though, Buffy made her entrance, walking right up to Olivia and saying, “Cordelia’s blind.”

“She’s blind?” Olivia asked. “Why?”

“I don’t know,” Buffy said. “That’s why I’m asking you.”

“Well, I guess we’ll look it up,” Olivia said. “With the events of yesterday, I’m beginning to suspect witchcraft.”

Jenny had come up behind Buffy as Olivia was speaking, and now she said, “You think there’s a witch at Sunnydale High?”

“Well, I haven’t read much, given that I’ve only had the past twenty-four hours,” Olivia admitted, “but what I have read does seem to support the idea that recent events could have been caused by witchcraft.”

“Ugh, I hate when witches uphold negative stereotypes,” Jenny said. “Not all witchcraft is about setting people on fire!” 

“Um, can we get back to the whole, Cordelia-is-blind thing?” Buffy asked.

“Yeah, sorry,” Jenny said. “It  _ does _ sound like witchcraft.”

“We can research witchcraft,” Olivia said. 

“This seems like a pretty basic vengeance spell,” Jenny said. “Blinding an enemy is a classic move.”

“So, who do we know who doesn’t like Cordelia?” Buffy asked. “Besides everybody.”

Just then, Willow walked in, Xander right behind her.

“Hey, sorry I’m late,” Willow said to Jenny. “I was just, um-- what’s going on in here?”

“Cordelia’s gone blind and we think it’s witchcraft,” Buffy said. “I don’t suppose you’d know anyone who hates both Amber and Cordelia.”

“Sounds like cheerleader drama,” Xander said. “Didn’t they both try out?”

“So who’s annoyed at the cheerleaders?” Jenny asked.  

“Amy,” Willow said. 

“Amy,” Buffy agreed.

“Amy?” Olivia asked.

“She was trying out with me,” Buffy explained. “She was seriously wigged when she didn’t make the team. I bet she’d do anything to make her mother’s dream come true.”

“She hasn’t been checking out any books,” Olivia said. “I’d have noticed if anyone was actually using the library.”

“Do we have a way to know if it really is her?” Jenny asked.

“I’ve read of a test with quicksilver and aqua fortis,” Olivia said, “but I feel that it would be too conspicuous for our needs.”

“How much reading have you  _ done _ ?” Jenny asked.

“Quite a bit,” Olivia said. 

“Is there anything else we can do?” Willow asked. “Quicksilver and aqua fortis is just mercury and nitric acid-- I can get that in the science lab.”

“The test will turn her skin blue if she’s a witch,” Olivia said. “I’m really not sure you want to be on her radar.”

“Olivia’s right,” Buffy said. “We need to go to the source.”

“The source?” Xander asked.

“Her mom,” Willow said. “Right?”

“That’s what I was thinking,” Buffy said, already turning to leave.

“Hang on,” Jenny said.

Buffy turned back around.

“You’re going to go to this girl’s house and talk to her possibly dangerous mom with no back-up?”

“Pretty much,” Buffy said, looking completely unconcerned.

“I’m coming with you,” Jenny said. “And we’re doing protection spells first.”

“You know protection spells?” Willow asked.

“It’s a good skill to have,” Jenny said. “I can teach you some later, if you like. But first we have a witch to find.”

Olivia and Willow stayed in the library while the others went to talk to Amy’s mom. She didn’t think a horde was going to help anything, and she was much more suited to quiet, indoor ventures. Like research, which was what she was now doing. 

By the time Buffy, Xander, and Jenny came back, Olivia and Willow knew a lot more about witches, and Buffy, Xander, and Jenny knew a lot more about Amy’s situation.

“She and her mom totally did a bodyswap,” Buffy said. “Which is, like, not fair at  _ all _ .”

“How are you arriving at not fair?” Jenny asked.

“Because, like, her mom  _ had _ a chance at being sixteen,” Buffy said. “She was top cheerleader and everything.”

“I’m not sure that’s the prime issue here,” Xander said. 

“He’s right,” Willow agreed. “We need to figure out how to stop her.”

“Oh!” Olivia exclaimed. “I know this one. Hold on a second.” She shuffled her papers. “Yes. Um, you can break a witch’s spells by destroying her spellbook.”

“We can do that,” Xander said.

“We’ll have to wait until we know Amy-- Amy’s mom-- is out of the house,” Willow said.

“Easy,” Buffy said. “She has to go to school.”

“You shouldn’t miss school,” Olivia said.

“She might be hanging around cheerleading practice,” Buffy said, doubtfully. 

“Is there practice tomorrow?” Jenny asked.

“Yeah, but, I’m on the team now,” Buffy said. “As first alternate.”

Everyone stared at her.

“Buffy, that means you’re in danger,” Xander said.

“I’ll go,” Jenny said. “But there’s a ritual we have to do to destroy the book properly.”

“Tomorrow?” Olivia asked.

“Yeah,” Jenny said. “Willow, you’re good with chemistry, right?”

“I think so,” Willow said.

“Cool. Witchcraft is basically chemistry in Latin. If I give you the instructions, do you want to start preparing the ritual while we go to Amy’s house?”

“Okay,” Willow agreed.

“Sounds good.” Jenny turned to the group. “Meet at school at, say, noon?”

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Olivia said. “Xander, are you coming to Amy’s house with us.”

“I think I’d rather, um, stick around here,” Xander said, doing a not-super-subtle glance at Buffy. “Make sure the cheerleaders are okay.”

“Cool,” Jenny said. “Olivia, see you then?”

“Absolutely,” Olivia said.

“I’d better get home now,” Willow said, looking anxiously out the window at the setting sun. “If we’ve figured out the thing about the ritual.”

“What time is it?” Buffy asked.

Olivia checked her watch.

“Seven,” she said.

“Oh, I’d better get going too.” Buffy turned to Willow and Xander. “Walk with me?”

“Sure,” Xander said, and the three of them left the library, joking with each other.

“Need a ride?” Jenny asked Olivia.

“If you’re offering,” Olivia answered. “I must say I feel bad making you go out of your way every day.”

“It’s barely out of my way,” Jenny assured her. “And definitely worth the conversation.”

Olivia blushed. 

“Thank you,” she said.

“You know,” Jenny said, “we should get together outside of school sometime. Especially if we’re going to be working together.”

“I would be amenable to that,” Olivia said.

“I can’t believe you just used the word ‘amenable’ in real life conversation,” Jenny said. “God. You’re  _ such  _ a librarian.”

“Is that a good thing?” Olivia asked, walking around the librarian desk to join Jenny.

“I’m not complaining,” Jenny said.

They started walking out.

“So, what would you be proposing?” Olivia asked as they left the library.

“I don’t know,” Jenny admitted. “We could see a movie or something. Get dinner. I’m not entirely clear on what friends do to hang out these days. It’s been a while.”

“Yes. For me as well,” Olivia said, her voice quiet. 

“Good thing we’re friends now,” Jenny said. 

They arrived at Jenny’s car, and Jenny opened the passenger door for Olivia. Olivia slid in, and Jenny went around to the other side. 

As she backed out of the parking spot, she said, “Oh, and don’t forget about Jesse’s memorial.”

“Oh, of course,” Olivia said. “Hopefully we’ll all have some time after we work out this cheerleading thing.”

“God, isn’t that the story of my life,” Jenny sighed. “Always hoping I’ll have time later.”

“At least this time it’s for a good cause,” Olivia said. “Not to cast aspersions on your life, of course. I’m just thinking about my own experiences.”

“You know,” Jenny said, “I’ve always assumed everything I do is for a good cause. But this is the first time I’ve been absolutely sure.”

“You should give that some thought,” Olivia said.

“I think I will.”

They drove in silence until Olivia got out at her house, thinking about how nice it was to finally have a friend. She felt like she had been waiting her whole life to meet Jenny. Although maybe that was the crush talking.

Still.

Olivia met Jenny at the library the next day. They quickly got Willow set up, made sure cheerleading practice was happening, and drove to Amy’s house, where they knocked on the door.

A middle-aged woman peeked out from behind the door, and then, seeing Jenny and Olivia, opened it.

“What do you want?” she asked.

“Amy, we want to help,” Jenny said, speaking quietly. “Is your mom here?”

Amy shook her head. 

“Do you know where she did her spells?” Jenny asked.

Amy looked from Jenny to Olivia, clearly shaking.

“I’m Ms. Caliban,” Olivia said. “I’m the librarian.”

“I know,” Amy said. “I remember from the first day.”

“Do you know anywhere your mom would have gone where you couldn’t find her?”

Amy nodded, slowly. 

“Sometimes,” she said, “sometimes she’d go to this room upstairs-- and I’d hear noises-- and then one day I woke up and I-- I was just in her  _ bed _ , and--”

“We’re going to help you,” Olivia said.

“We just need to see that room,” Jenny added.

Amy led them up into a dark room filled with the sounds and smells of a bubbling cauldron. There were figures hung above it; Olivia moved to them and began to take them down, slowly undoing the wrap around the eyes of one, and taking a pin out of the heart of another.

And then she stopped. None of the girls who had been hurt had had anything wrong with their heart. None of them had been blonde, either. She looked up. 

“Buffy’s in danger,” she said, her voice more anxious than it had any right to be.

Jenny looked up from where she was opening a chest.

“What?”

Olivia held up the doll.

“I think this one’s her. It had a pin through the heart.”

“I’m almost done,” Jenny said, opening the chest. Something large and furry flew out with a meow. Jenny ignored it, instead reaching in and pulling out a book.

“Got it,” she said.

“Thank goodness,” Olivia said. She looked at Amy. “Should she come with us?”

“I think so,” Jenny said. “In case we need her for the spell.”

“Spell?” Amy asked.

“To put you back,” Olivia said. “Don’t worry. Our intentions are pure. But we have to hurry.”

Hurry they did, back to Sunnydale High with Amy in the backseat. Jenny practically floored it, which was completely inappropriate for the Sunnydale streets, but completely appropriate for the situation at hand.

And then they were in the chemistry lab, where Willow had set up all the equipment they needed, and Jenny was bringing her the book and walking her through the ritual, and Olivia made sure they were okay and practically sprinted, heels and all, to the gym to make sure Buffy was okay.

Buffy was not okay.

She was stumbling out of the gym, leaning on Xander and clearly completely delirious, telling him something about being “totally and completely one of the girls.” Olivia immediately ran up, offering her arm to Buffy’s free side, and asking Xander what had happened.

“I don’t know,” Xander said. “She was acting all loopy, and then she sort of collapsed, and now she’s like this.”

Olivia ran through the reading she had done in her head. She was almost surprised when she actually came up with something.

“I’m reasonably certain it’s a bloodstone vengeance spell,” she said to Xander. “It’s like being drunk, but then it tears apart your immune system.”

“I don’t wanna get torn apart,” Buffy said from between them.

“We’re going to make sure you’re not,” Xander assured her.

Together, they steered her into the chem lab. Buffy collapsed immediately over a lab bench; Olivia and Xander lifted her all the way up to lie on the bench.

Jenny looked from Buffy to Olivia.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Bloodstone vengeance spell,” Olivia said. “According to the reading I’ve done in the last few days, that is.”

“You figured that out from three days of research?” Jenny asked, staring at Olivia.

Olivia blushed.

“That’s not what matters,” she said.

“I know,” Jenny muttered, looking back at the spell she and Willow had set up. “We’re going to need some more supplies.”

“A frog,” Olivia said. 

“I can get one,” Xander said.

Everyone looked at him.

“From the bio lab,” he explained. “We just did dissections.”

“Go,” Jenny said.

He did.

“The rest of the stuff should be in here,” Jenny said.

Olivia looked at the original spell. Her head shot up when she heard a crash.

Jenny’s fist was embedded in a cabinet window.

“Just getting some extra ingredients,” she said, extracting her fist and picking through the glass to get at some vials. “Oh, hey, I destroyed the book, so if you read out the incantation in front of you, you’ll switch Amy back.”

Olivia nodded and picked up the spellbook Jenny had been using. She began to read.

Meanwhile, Jenny had been preparing the other potion. Her face was a mask of fierce concentration, and Olivia reading for a moment to watch. Even in the middle of all this, Jenny was beautiful. 

And then she shook herself, because now was really  _ not  _ the time. 

As Olivia read, Amy-in-Catherine’s-body shrank against the wall.

“I can feel it,” Amy said. “She can feel it. She’s coming.”

Olivia read faster. She was almost done, invoking gods she had never heard of, calling out to the heavens to put this poor girl back in her proper body. 

And then she was done, finishing just as Catherine-as-Amy ran into the room with an axe, and both Amy and her mother stumbled as their souls shifted. Just then, Jenny ran to Buffy and had her drink, and Buffy sat up, immediately restored. Olivia stepped back as Catherine advanced on Amy, saying awful guilt-tripping things, and as Buffy slid to stand behind Catherine.

“Guess what?” she said.

Catherine turned around.

“I feel better.”

Olivia had never been prouder of another person than she had been in that moment.

But it wasn’t over yet. Buffy flung Catherine away from Amy, but Catherine was a witch, of course, and she started working a spell. Olivia didn’t catch everything that happened, but she had a vague impression of Buffy jumping, and then a crash, and then Catherine just wasn’t there anymore, and the room was silent.

“That was something,” Jenny said, stepping towards Buffy. 

Buffy looked at the mirror, then back at the others. 

“Are you guys okay?” she asked.

“Better than ever,” Amy said, looking down at herself.

“Did we reverse all the spells?” Olivia asked, moving to where Jenny was standing.

“I think so,” Jenny said.

“You guys saved my life,” Buffy said. “Thank you.”

Olivia didn’t know what to say to that, but it was okay, because just then, Xander leapt into the room, immediately grabbing Amy and yelling, “I’ve got her! Buffy, quick!”

Jenny looked at Olivia and grinned, and Olivia did her best to smile back as Buffy asked, “What are you doing?” 

“I think our work here is done,” Olivia said quietly to Jenny.

They still had to clean up the chemistry lab and call Amy’s dad to pick her up, and then they were sitting with Buffy, Willow, and Xander in the library, talking about what had just happened.

“God. If that’s what it takes to get on the cheerleading team,” Buffy said, “I’m fine staying off.”

“I’m sorry,” Olivia said. “I know it mattered to you.”

Buffy shrugged the careful shrug of somebody trying to rationalize disappointment.

“I guess,” she said. “It’s fine. There are more important things.”

“Oh!” Willow said, looking up. “Ms. Caliban, Xander and I were talking about the memorial for Jesse, and we were thinking about planting sunflowers out by the woods. Because he liked sunflowers.”

“That sounds lovely,” Olivia said. “We’ll have to get some seeds.”

“We can do that,” Jenny said. “There’s a store on the outskirts of Sunnydale. I’ll go tomorrow.”

“Thank you,” Willow said.

“It’s the least we can do,” Jenny said. 

“If we lived in the ideal world,” Olivia said, “we wouldn’t have to do these things to begin with.”

There was a moment of silence as everyone thought their own thoughts, and then Xander stood up.

“I’m going to go home,” he said. “Tell me when we’re doing the- the memorial thing, okay?”

“After school Wednesday?” Jenny asked. “We can meet in here and walk to the woods.”

Xander nodded.

“Does that day work for everyone?” Olivia asked.

“Well, I’m off the cheer team,” Buffy said, “so my schedule’s opened up.”

“I’ll be there,” Willow agreed.

“Cool,” Xander said. “I’m out, then.” He left, and Willow and Buffy stood, said their goodbyes, and followed him. Jenny turned to Olivia.

“Congratulations, Olivia Caliban,” she said. Olivia revelled in the way her name felt when it was rolling off of Jenny’s tongue. She had never had reason to like her full name before.

“Congratulations on what?” she asked, smiling.

“Defeating the big, bad evil,” Jenny said. 

“Congratulations to you, too, then,” Olivia said, “because you did as much as if not more than I did, as far as defeating the evil goes.”

“We’ll call it a draw,” Jenny decided, grinning. “I don’t suppose you’d want to celebrate.”

“I’m certainly not sure I want to be alone right now,” Olivia said.

“I’m with you,” Jenny said. “Do you want to come to my place? I’ll make pancakes or something.”

“For dinner?”

“Yeah, I don’t agree with the way society has assigned a time of day to the best foods,” Jenny said, shrugging. “Also, I’m not a very good cook, and I’d rather not subject you to my dinner food.”

Olivia laughed.

“That’s all right,” she said. “Although I am very good at making eggs, if you were looking to add some protein into that meal.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Jenny said. “And we can figure out what the hell we’re doing trying to help three kids fight vampires.”

“The right thing, I hope,” Olivia said.

“God, do I hope,” Jenny agreed.

They walked out of the school together, discussing research methods and witchcraft, and Olivia felt fulfilled, like she had achieved something today.


	2. Teacher's Pet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you'll notice timelines are getting a bit jumbled here-- i'm kind of operating under the assumption that things are different with different people doing the research (and also with more people using different methods of research).

They had their memorial for Jesse. It didn’t feel like enough to Olivia-- Willow, Xander, and Buffy were there, and so was Jenny, and Olivia, of course, but Jesse had been a real person who was now no longer walking the Earth, and more people should have acknowledged that.

It made Olivia think about all the other people in Sunnydale who had never had a proper memorial.

Afterwards, she, Jenny, and the kids went to the local pizza place, but none of them quite felt like eating. Olivia took home the leftovers and put them in her fridge, hoping she’d have an excuse to share them with Willow, Xander, and Buffy at a hungrier time. She sat on her bed and tried to read, but she couldn’t focus. She kept thinking about Jesse, about how dorky and sweet he’d been, and how he wasn’t dorky and sweet anymore because he was just dead instead.

Finally, she put her book aside and picked up her phone. She usually wouldn’t dream of bothering Jenny this late, but she suspected Jenny was having some of the same thoughts, and she would just as well share her sorrows.

She dialed Jenny’s number and put the phone to her ear, smiling when Jenny’s voice came through with a curious, “Hello?”

“It’s me,” Olivia said. “Olivia.”

“Oh, Olivia, hey!” Jenny said, and Olivia could hear the warmth in her voice. It made Olivia feel warm, too. “What’s up?”

“I don’t know,” Olivia said, surprised at herself. “I was just having some trouble focusing on my book, and you know that doesn’t happen very often.”

“I know what you mean, though,” Jenny said. “It’s been a rough day, huh?”

“I never thought I’d be leading a memorial for a teenager,” Olivia said. “That I had to says something about this town.”

“And Jesse’s parents,” Jenny said. “Yikes.”

“Exactly,” Olivia said. “I want nothing more than to provide love and support to these kids, but I wish I didn’t have to be the one to do it. I’m only a librarian.”

“It seems to me that you’re a _damn good_ librarian,” Jenny said.

Olivia smiled, wishing Jenny could see it.

“I’m glad you think so,” she said. “I would like to keep my professional reputation intact.”

They talked a while longer, about mortality and school and all sorts of things, and when Olivia hung up the phone, she did feel markedly better. A kid was still dead, but at least there were people around to prevent the next kid from dying.

The next day after school, Jenny was setting up her scanning operation in the library, as usual, when Buffy came in, looking a little bit off her game. She came up to where Olivia and Jenny were standing, talking about setting up a library computer, and said, “Hey, guys?”

Olivia and Jenny immediately turned their attention to her.

“Have you met a guy named Angel?”

“No,” Olivia said, before she looked at Jenny. She turned and looked, and immediately wished she hadn’t spoken first-- Jenny was standing frozen in place, clearly trying to formulate a thought.

“Be careful with Angel,” Jenny said, finally.

“You know him?” Buffy asked.

“I-- I’ve heard of him,” Jenny said.

“Well, what’s his deal?” Buffy asked. “He’s tall, dark, and annoying, and he keeps trying to talk to me.”

“Don’t let him,” Jenny said sharply.

“What’s wrong?” Olivia asked.

“It’s a long story,” Jenny said.

“He told me there’s a new vampire in town,” Buffy said. “One with a fork for a hand. We should look into that, right? Even if Angel isn’t to be trusted?”

“He’s probably right,” Jenny said. “I don’t think he’s evil. Not right now.”

“But I should be worried that he might be?” Buffy asked.

Jenny sighed.

“Can we talk about this later?” she asked. “My students are coming in soon, and I don’t want to hide this conversation from them.”

“Okay,” Buffy said. “I’ll stick around. I can help you scan, if you like.”

“That would be great, actually,” Jenny said. She started showing Buffy what to do, and Olivia picked up a stack of already-scanned books to reshelve, thinking about a vampire with a fork for a hand.

A few hours later, Jenny’s students had cleared out, and it was just Buffy and Willow sitting at one of the library tables with Olivia and Jenny.

“So, Angel,” Buffy said. “What’s his deal?”

“He’s a vampire,” Jenny said.

“What?” Willow exclaimed. “But, Buffy, you said he was dreamy.”

“He is,” Buffy said, confused.

“He has a soul,” Jenny said. “He’s not evil anymore. Olivia, have you read about the vampire Angelus?”

“I think I’ve read the name,” Olivia said, “but I couldn’t tell you anything about what he’s done.”

“It’s horrible,” Jenny said. “He terrorized the world with a group of vampires for a century.”

“But not anymore?” Buffy asked.

“After a while,” Jenny said, “he tortured and killed a girl-- one of my ancestors-- and when they found out, they cursed him with a soul.”

“What does that mean?” Willow asked.

“It means he’s human now,” Jenny said. “He’s cursed to forever know and feel bad about what he’s done.”

“No wonder he’s broody,” Buffy said. “But he’s not dangerous?”

“In theory, no,” Jenny said. “He’s also over two hundred years older than you, Buffy.”

“I know!” Buffy said. “I was just wondering.”

“He gave her his jacket,” Willow said.

“Willow!” Buffy admonished.

“He did!”

“Be careful, Buffy,” Olivia said.

“I will,” Buffy mumbled.

“But is this fork-handed vampire going to be a problem?” Olivia continued. “Because it certainly sounds like a problem.”

“Yeah,” Jenny said. “Yeah, we should focus on that for now. And Buffy, please don’t tell Angel what I said. He’s not supposed to know I’m here.”

“Why _are_ you here?” Willow asked. “It’s not a coincidence, is it?”

“I’m supposed to watch him,” Jenny said. “Make sure he’s still suffering for what he did.”

“Trust me,” Buffy said. “He’s suffering. The guy wears _all black_.”

“Do you actually watch him?” Willow asked. “Because, weird.”

“Not super closely,” Jenny admitted. “I like to sleep at night, not chase around a vampire who’s doing just fine on his own anyway.”

“Okay,” Buffy said. “So, fork-guy?”

“Fork-guy,” Jenny agreed. “What did Angel say about fork-guy?”

“That… we should watch out for him,” Buffy said. “That’s pretty much it. Sorry.”

“Okay,” Jenny said. “We can do that.”

“And I’ll patrol more, I guess,” Buffy added.

“Alone?” Olivia asked.

Buffy shrugged. “That’s the deal with being the Slayer.”

“Let us know when you’re planning to go out, if you can,” Olivia said. “I don’t like that you could sneak out of your room and no one would know where you are.”

“I guess,” Buffy said. “It’s just the way it is. I tried not being the Slayer, and it turned out, vampires still needed slaying.”

“Still,” Olivia said, “I’d feel better if someone knew what you were doing.”

“You can always tell me,” Willow said.

“Guess I’d better keep bothering Mom for that phone in my room,” Buffy said, rolling her eyes. “I’m going out now, anyway. With fork guy on the loose, I’ve really got to keep an eye out, I guess.”

“Take care,” Olivia said.

Buffy almost smiled at that.

“Thanks,” she said. She picked up her bag and walked out, none of her usual pep in her step.

“I’d better go with her,” Willow said, standing up. “She’ll get lonely.”

Olivia and Jenny both nodded, and then Willow was gone, and it was just the two of them again, sitting at the table.

“So,” Olivia said, “what aren’t you saying about Angel?”

“What makes you think I’m not saying something?” Jenny asked.

“It’s a feeling I have,” Olivia said, “and that feeling is made all the stronger for the fact that you seem reluctant to watch him in the way you are meant to, and the idea of making sure someone suffers seems antithetical to your basic personality.”

“That pretty much sums it up,” Jenny agreed. “Angel seems all right, and he’s suffering fine on his own. I see no reason to add to it. The curse is doing its work.”

“What would you be doing if you didn’t have to watch him?” Olivia asked. “Would you live somewhere else?”

“I’d teach computer science,” Jenny admitted. “I really do love my job. But I wouldn’t have all this weird guilt in the back of my head. And I’d have more free time, and it’d be easier to make friends, without my weird destiny getting mixed up in everything.”

“I’m glad you told us,” Olivia said.

“Me, too, I think,” Jenny agreed. “I wish I could just tell my family I don’t want the job.”

“Can’t you?” Olivia asked.

“I’m not brave enough,” Jenny admitted. “And they wouldn’t get it. It’s so ingrained into us at this point. Angel hurt us; he must suffer. It’s just that it’s been over a hundred years. No one even remembers this girl anymore.”

“I’m sorry,” Olivia said. “I can’t imagine having a destiny like that.”

“It’s _all_ I can imagine,” Jenny said. “I grew up with it.”

Olivia put a hand on Jenny’s shoulder. Somehow, it felt like the right thing to do. “At least you’re not alone,” she said.

Jenny smiled.

“Thanks,” she said, and then she flicked her eyes away.

The next day, Olivia was eating lunch with Jenny in the library when they were interrupted by a visibly distressed Buffy.

“Dr. Gregory is in the cafeteria refrigerator,” she said.

“Not alive?” Jenny asked.

Buffy shook her head emphatically.

“Not at all,” she said. “And they’re missing his head.”

“Oh, goodness,” Olivia said. She had liked Dr. Gregory-- they hadn’t been friends, or anything, but he had always greeted her in the halls.

“Yeah,” Buffy said. “He was a good teacher, too.”

Olivia wondered for a moment how a girl as young and bright as Buffy got stuck with a life where she had to watch her teachers die.

“So, you’re thinking it’s supernatural?” Jenny asked.

“It’s Sunnydale,” Buffy said. “His head didn’t just fall off.” She paused. “And they already have a substitute for him.”

“Oh, is that the really pretty one?” Jenny asked. “I saw her walking in today.”

“Well, Xander thinks so,” Buffy said.

Olivia was momentarily distracted by the fact that Jenny had just called a woman pretty, and did that mean perhaps she wasn’t as heterosexual as Olivia had forced herself to assume?

And then the reality of the dead science teacher caught up to her, and she said, “You don’t think your fork-handed vampire is the one who killed him?”

“I doubt it,” Buffy said. “Vampires aren’t much with the beheading.”

“You do lose a lot of blood that way,” Olivia said, thinking it through. “I can imagine that a vampire might prefer just to bite.”

“It’s like a juice box,” Buffy agreed. “But that means we have a whole new thing to deal with.”

“Never a dull moment,” Jenny said. “Do you want us to research things that take off people’s heads?”

“Sure,” Buffy said. “Oh, they also didn’t actually find the head. So keep that in mind.”

“Things that _eat_ heads?” Olivia asked.

“God, I sure hope not,” Buffy answered, looking thoroughly repulsed. “I actually have to go to bio class now. With the not-dead pretty substitute.”

“Good luck,” Jenny said.

“I’m going to need it,” Buffy muttered on her way out.

Jenny went back to her class, and Olivia started her research. Really, it was a good thing no one ever used the library; it gave Olivia a lot of time for things like reading about decapitating demons and vampires with a fork for a hand.

She didn’t find much, but what she did find was illuminating: the fork-handed vampire had apparently been a follower of the Master and had somehow gotten his hand cut off in punishment. Which made him dangerous, and made Olivia think that she should do a lot more reading on the Master.

She decided that decapitation was too vague until they knew more, so did that reading instead. She found Angelus in a few footnotes, along with a few other names, and she found a horrific history. Looking further, she found mention of a few prophecies, perhaps having to do with the Slayer, that she resolved to look up later, but when Buffy, Willow, and Xander came in after school, she just told them what she had found about the fork-handed vampire and asked how biology had been.

“Wonderful,” Xander said, a moony smile on his face.

Buffy smacked him.

“Xander thinks Ms. French is hot,” Willow said.

“I see,” Olivia said.

“She wants him to help her make egg sacs tomorrow after school,” Buffy said.

“Make egg sacs?” Olivia asked.

“Paper mache,” Buffy explained. “And _mega_ creepy.”

“It’s not creepy,” Xander said. “She’s not creepy. She’s perfect.”

“Never mistake beauty for perfection,” Olivia said.

“She’s not just beautiful,” Xander said. “She knows lots of things.”

“We’ve only had one class with her,” Buffy said. “We know that she knows a lot about praying mantises and, like, nothing else.”

“Praying mantises?” Olivia asked. Something was occurring to her, but she couldn’t put her finger on it yet.

“That’s what we covered today,” Willow explained.

“Is it what you were supposed to cover today?” Olivia asked.

“I think so,” Willow said.

“Eating heads,” Olivia said. She had figured out what was occurring to her.

“What?” Xander asked.

“Female praying mantises eat the heads of their mates,” Olivia said. “I just remembered.”

“And that’s relevant how?” Xander asked.

“You’re not saying--” Willow said, a look of horror on her face.

“I don’t know what I’m saying,” Olivia said. “I’ll have to do some more research to know for sure.”

“I’ll help,” Willow said immediately.

Just then, Jenny poked her head into Olivia’s office.

“Hey, any news?” she asked.

Olivia looked at the others.

“We think so,” she said, and explained what was going on to Jenny, who looked appropriately horrified.

“I’ll patrol tonight,” Buffy said. “For Fork Guy _and_ giant praying mantises, I guess.”

“Be careful,” Olivia said.

“You know me,” Buffy said. “Careful Buffy.”

“I have to get back to the scanning,” Jenny said, “but if I can do anything, let me know.”

“There are some prophecies I’m going to look up later,” Olivia said. “Regarding the Master. You’re welcome to join me.”

“I think I will,” Jenny said. “Okay. I’ll talk to you all later. Stay safe.”

She left the room, and Buffy and Xander made their excuses and left as well. Willow stayed, visibly anxious.

“What can I do?” she asked.

“Are you all right?” Olivia asked.

“Of course I’m all right,” Willow said. “I’m always all right. Just give me something to research and I’ll do it.”

“No one is always all right,” Olivia said, “and I’m here if you need to talk. And I think we should be looking at praying mantises.”

“Okay,” Willow said. “I’ll do that. Praying mantises. Do you think Ms. French really ate Dr. Gregory’s head?”

“I don’t know,” Olivia said, honestly. “Maybe she’s just trying to give you a hint.”

“I doubt it,” Willow said, taking her textbook out of her backpack and opening it. “Hey, at least I can multitask with homework.”

Olivia smiled and turned to her own books. She was still looking into the Master; she was just getting around to finding those old prophecies (which, conveniently enough, happened to be in the library’s collection. Sunnydale was an odd place, but Olivia was glad that at least someone had once cared enough to stock up the library with useful books).

She had barely even opened her books when Willow looked up and said, “Pheremones.”

“Pheremones?” Olivia asked.

“That’s how Ms. French got all the boys to like her,” Willow said. “Praying mantises emit pheremones to attract a mate. She’s trying to attract mates.” Her eyes went wide. “And then she’s going to eat their heads! Ms. Caliban, I really like Xander’s head.”

“As well you should,” Ms. Caliban said. “Also, I suspect he would miss it.”

“And-- and she’s got Blayne helping her today, like, _right now_ ,” Willow said, “and Blayne’s, like, _ew_ , but I still don’t want him to lose his head!”

“Let’s call Buffy,” Ms. Caliban said.

“I’ll do it,” Willow said. “It’s going to be weird if you call and her mom picks up.”

“Does her mom not know she’s the Slayer?” Olivia asked.

“No,” Willow said. “I’ll go call. I’ll be right back.”

Willow ran out of the room, and Olivia sat alone, surrounded by her books. She stood and went into the library, where Jenny was overseeing her usual operation.

“Jenny,” she said, keeping her voice quiet, “we’re going to need to find out where Ms. French lives.”

“I can do that,” Jenny said. “If anyone asks, though, I never said that.”

“The law doesn’t quite allow for giant praying mantis situations,” Olivia remarked.

“To be fair,” Jenny said, “how many of those do you really come across?” Raising her voice, she looked to her students and said, “If you’re having trouble with the scanners, let me know, okay? One of them was being kind of weird earlier.”

Olivia took the excuse to go back into her office, where Willow was waiting.

“I talked to Buffy,” she said. “She doesn’t know where to look, but she says she’ll keep an eye out.”

“I asked Jenny-- Ms. Calendar-- to find out where she lives,” Olivia said. “We can call Buffy back.”

“Do you really think she lives in town?” Willow asked. “I mean, surely we’d know if people’s heads were getting bitten off right and left.”

“How often do mantises mate?” Olivia asked. “We can look at the news records.”

“Are we tropical?” Willow asked. “It says that usually they mate in autumn, but if we’re in tropical climates it can be any time of the year.”

“It’s spring,” Olivia said, “so I think we can fairly say that this is tropical enough for Ms. French, or else she just doesn’t follow the habits of smaller mantises.”

“Assuming it is Ms. French,” Willow said. “We don’t have proof.”

“I think Xander is proof enough,” Olivia remarked.

“Good pint,” Willow said. “Okay, I’ll do a search of recent news records.” She pulled a laptop out of her backpack and started to type. A few moments later, she said, “About six years ago there were some beheadings, but some of them were women, and they found the heads after.”

“In a town like Sunnydale, that checks out,” Olivia said. “So Ms. French probably isn’t local.”

“I’m going to look through a housing database,” Willow said. “She’s probably renting, right? I can do a search for that.”

“Is this legal?” Olivia asked.

“Do you want the real answer or the one that’s not going to get you in trouble?” Willow asked, entirely focused on her laptop.

“I suppose I’d better not ask at all,” Olivia said.

For a moment, the only sound was Willow typing, and then she started reading off the screen. “There are only two recent rentals,” she said, “and one of them is from a family of five. So I’m going to guess it’s this one.” She turned the screen to show Olivia a thumbnail of a small house. The name next to it was not Natalie French, but that didn’t mean anything. “And I think I figured something out about mantises, so I’m going to go look something up in the video library.”

“I’ll go tell Jenny the address,” Olivia said, and she went back into the library.

Jenny intercepted her immediately, saying, “I’ve found a house owned by Natalie French. Think it’s hers?”

“Willow and I were just thinking that she just came to town,” Olivia said, “due the the small number of recent decapitations in the area. We’ve found another house that might be hers.”

“I guess we’ll check out both,” Jenny said. “With Buffy, of course.”

“Oh! I’ll call her,” Olivia said. “I’m going to suggest that perhaps she take one of us with her. Or both. And maybe Willow, too.”

“Not Xander,” Jenny said.

“Not this time,” Olivia agreed. She went to the phone and dialed Buffy’s phone number. Holding the phone to her ear, she realized she didn’t know what she was going to say if Buffy’s  mom picked up.

Fortunately, she had hardly finished that thought when Buffy’s voice came over the line.

“Hello?”

“Buffy, it’s Ms. Caliban,” Olivia said. “We think you should take people with you tonight, and we’ve found a couple of houses for you to check out.”

“Take who with me?” Buffy asked.

“Myself or Ms. Calendar, or possibly Willow,” Olivia said.

“It’s dangerous,” Buffy said. “You don’t have super-strength.”

“Consider it,” Olivia said. “Come to the library before you go, at least. We’ll give you our research.”

“And then try to convince me to bring you along?” Buffy asked.

“Yes,” Olivia said. “But it’s your decision.”

“Okay,” Buffy said. “I’ll be there at sunset.”

Olivia glanced out the window. It was still light out, but it wouldn’t be for much longer.

“I’ll see you then,” she said to Buffy.

Jenny had come up next to Olivia during the conversation.

“Is she coming here?” she asked.

“Yes,” Olivia said. “She’s not completely on board with bringing us along, but I’m hoping we’ll manage to convince her it’s the best possible plan.”

“Me, too,” Jenny said. “I lie awake at night when I know she’s patrolling.”

Willow popped into the room.

“Do you guys have a tape recorder?”

When Buffy got there, Olivia gave her the addresses and did indeed convince Buffy to let her, Jenny, and Willow to come along. Not for the first time, Olivia had a sneaking suspicion that Buffy was much lonelier than she would ever admit. Willow explained what she had been doing with the tape recorder-- apparently, mantises reacted badly to bat sonar.

The first house-- the one that was actually owned by a Natalie French-- was a bust. It was just a sweet old substitute teacher who had had her identity stolen.

The second house, on the other hand, was the jackpot. Buffy knocked on the door; when no one answered, she tilted her head, listening. Olivia couldn’t hear anything, but Buffy said, “Someone in the basement is screaming.” Immediately, Buffy kicked down the door, and all four of them walked inside.

Once inside, Olivia heard the screaming. It was coming from the basement.

“Let me go first,” Buffy said.

“Take the tape recorder,” Willow told her, holding it out to Buffy..

“Good point,” Buffy said, taking it. “You guys follow at a distance, okay?”

“Got it,” Jenny said.

Buffy disappeared down the stairs. Olivia, Jenny, and Willow counted to ten before they followed-- when they did, they saw Buffy facing a massive, screeching praying mantis, which was flailing to the time of the squeaks coming from the tape recorder in Buffy’s hands. Behind the mantis was a cage, in which Blayne was cowering.

“I’m going to get Blayne,” Jenny said in Olivia’s ear.

Olivia nodded, and Jenny walked around the mantis as calmly as if she were just walking through her own classroom, her eyes fixed on Blayne’s cage. Olivia watched as she unlatched the cage and Blayne tumbled out onto the ground.

In the foreground, the mantis was still screeching, but seemed to be losing its energy. A moment later, Buffy jumped up and grabbed its head, twisting in such a way as to break its neck. The mantis fell to the ground, apparently dead.

For a moment, no one moved as they stared at the mantis. A second later, everyone jumped into gear-- Olivia ran to help Jenny with Blayne, Buffy picked up a crowbar and began smashing mantis eggs, and Willow watched in the corner as all this occurred. Finally, the eggs were smashed, Blayne could walk on his own, and everyone started up the stairs.

“Not bad,” Buffy said, sounding pleased with herself.

“Not at all,” Olivia agreed.

“Wait until Xander hears about this,” Willow said. “He could have been mantis food!”

“Good thing we saved the day,” Buffy said, clearly in high spirits.

“Good thing,” Jenny agreed.

Once outside, Buffy and Willow walked off together immediately with plans to go see Xander at the Bronze, leaving Jenny and Olivia alone with a still-dazed Blayne.

“We should get him home,” Jenny said. “Hey, Blayne, where do you live?”

“I can walk myself,” Blayne said, shaking Jenny’s hand off his shoulder.

“We’d like to come with you,” Olivia said. “Just to make sure you’re safe.”

“I can do it,” he insisted, and he started to walk, still a little off-balance.

“We’d better follow him,” Jenny said under her breath to Olivia.

“Agreed,” Olivia said, and they walked quietly behind Blayne until they saw him safely through the door of his home.

“Ugh,” Jenny said, “I have to go all the way back to the school to get my car.”

“If you’d enjoy company,” Olivia said, “I’d be happy to walk with you.”

“Oh, no,” Jenny said, “you should be able to go home.”

“There is nothing stopping me,” Olivia assured her. “But my home is past the school, anyway, and neither of us should be walking alone at night in Sunnydale.”

“Good point,” Jenny said, smiling at Olivia. Olivia thought her heart might melt with that smile.

They walked back to the school in relative silence, both lost in thought. As they neared the school, Olivia said, “I can’t believe no one has tried to fight Sunnydale’s demons before.”

“If they have,” Jenny said, “would we know?”

“I suppose not,” Olivia said. “Why are the demons a secret?”

“They’re not,” Jenny said. “It’s just that most people won’t talk about them. I guess I had hoped it would be different in Sunnydale.”

“I just wish Buffy had some help,” Olivia said. “Real help, with training or strength or something. I don’t feel like I can offer nearly as much as she needs.”

“I think you offer enough,” Jenny said. “You’ve been spending all your free time on research lately. And being there for her is just as important as the material help.” She gave Olivia a friendly grin. “And anyway, if you weren’t around, I’d be completely lost.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” Olivia said. “You already know so much, and you’re very kind. I’m only doing what I can to help, but you have actual useful knowledge.”

“Let’s just agree we’re both helpful and move on,” Jenny said. “Neither of us could do this alone. And neither could Buffy, or Willow, or Xander. The whole reason what we do works is that we all do it together.”

“That’s true,” Olivia said.

By now, they were at Jenny’s car.

“Want a ride?” Jenny asked.

“Well,” Olivia said, “I suppose I did say it’s not safe to be walking alone at night in Sunnydale. There are fork guys on the loose, after all.”

“True,” Jenny said. “So actually, I should really be insisting you ride with me.”

“You really should,” Olivia smiled, opening the passenger side door and sliding onto the seat. “It’s a good thing I don’t mind.”

“A good thing indeed,” Jenny agreed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> much like many viewers of the episode teacher's pet, i TOTALLY forgot about fork guy until i was ready to post. so... there'll be a quick fix to that one next chapter.
> 
> update: i cross-posted this series to twisting the hellmouth just for kicks. so if you see it there... that's me! i had to use the username mythtook because someone already had mythtaken and i'm so offended


	3. Never Kill a Boy on the First Date/The Pack

There was a student in the library.

This on its own wasn’t particularly special-- students were constantly in and out of the library. But this student wasn’t Willow, and it wasn’t Buffy, or Xander, or one of Jenny’s scanning army. This was a real, live, bona fide, book-seeking student. Olivia had been talking to Buffy about a particularly worrisome ring they had found on patrol the night before, but upon the student’s arrival she immediately snapped the ancient book in front of her closed and asked, “How can I help you?”

The student said he had lost his Emily, clarifying after a confused stare from Olivia that he meant Emily Dickinson. She pointed him in the direction of the poetry section, and Buffy followed him, telling him about her deep and abiding love of books, which was certainly news to Olivia.

A few minutes later, Buffy and the student were back, with Buffy gushing about the student’s book: “Owen and I both love Emily Dickinson! How about that!”

Only after Owen left did Olivia say to Buffy, “Don’t change yourself for him.”

“I’m not changing myself,” Buffy said. “I’m becoming more well-read. Do you have any more copies of that Emily Dickinson?”

“I believe so,” Olivia said, “but think about whether you really want Owen to like you for something you’re not.”

“Well, how do I know if I’m an Emily Dickinson fan if I haven’t read her yet?” Buffy asked, and without waiting for an answer she ran off to the stacks.

“We do have an ancient vampire sect to look for,” Olivia called after her. 

Buffy didn’t answer, and Olivia went back to her book, smiling to herself. Buffy was fifteen; Olivia didn’t think anything would get between her and pursuing her crush. 

Then again, she wasn’t the only one. Olivia smiled as the door to the library opened again, and Jenny pushed her way inside.

“Olivia, I’ve found some more on that ring,” she said. 

“Order of Aurelius?” Olivia asked.

“Anointed One,” Jenny said. “You found the same?”

“We’re on the same page,” Olivia said. “Metaphorically speaking, of course.”

“Where’s Buffy?” 

“Here!” Buffy called, bounding out of the stacks with Emily Dickinson under her arm. She thrust it at Olivia, grinning, and Olivia obediently helped her check it out.

“Don’t hide the real Buffy,” she said, giving Buffy the sternest look she could.

“I don’t know if Owen’s going to like the real Buffy,” Buffy said, clutching the book to her chest.

“If he doesn’t like you,” Olivia said firmly, “he doesn’t deserve you.”

“Adults always say that,” Buffy sighed, “but I  _ want _ him to deserve me.”

“I do, too,” Olivia said, and meant it. “Just let him see beyond Emily Dickinson, all right?”

“Okay,” Buffy said, but as she left the library, she was already reading the poetry. Olivia turned back to Jenny. 

“What was that about?” Jenny asked.

“Buffy is trying to get a boy to like her by convincing him she reads Emily Dickinson,” Olivia said.

“That definitely sounds like high school,” Jenny mused. “Does the boy like her?”

“I’m not the one to ask,” Olivia said. 

“Well, I hope it all turns out well for her,” Jenny said. 

“I’m worried that she may be needed tonight,” Olivia said. “There’s a prophecy--”

“‘Out of the ashes of the five?’” Jenny quoted.

“‘One will rise,’” Olivia agreed. “We should be worried.”

“But should Buffy?” Jenny asked. “There’s not much point in defying prophecy, anyway. We might as well deal with the one tomorrow.”

“We don’t know where the five will be, either,” Olivia said. “I suggest we let Buffy have her fun, and we keep our eye out for five deaths in the news.”

“Sounds like a party,” Jenny said. 

“I’ll bring the chips,” Olivia said, feeling the easy smile that always seemed to come out around Jenny. “And the ancient prophecies.”

“Eight work for you?” Jenny asked.

Olivia almost dropped the book she had been holding. In her save, she accidentally slammed it shut, and then, as she tried to find her place, she said, “You’re serious?”

“Sure,” Jenny said. “Two-person prophecy party. Has a nice ring.”

“I’m in,” Olivia said. “Tonight?”

“My place,” Jenny said. “Maybe before eight. I don’t want you walking before sunset. Seven?”

“When is sunset?” Olivia asked. “Is it after seven?”

“I think so,” Jenny said. “How about you just come around when it looks like the sun’s starting to set, and we’ll hang out and catch up on our ancient prophecies.”

“It’s a date,” Olivia said. The words left her mouth before she could stop them, and she tried to suppress her blush.

But Jenny only smiled. 

“See you then,” she said, checking her watch. “Gotta go. Class.” With another smile to Olivia, she left the library.

Buffy came into the library during sixth period, chattering to Willow about her date that night with Owen, and Olivia deliberately didn’t mention anything about the prophecy to her until Buffy asked what was up. 

“We think that trying to do anything tonight would be a waste of time,” Olivia said. “Don’t schedule any dates for tomorrow, though.”

“What’s tomorrow?” Buffy asked, her eyes narrowing.

“We figure out how to deal with the results of the prophecy,” Olivia said. “That’s it.”

“Okay,” Buffy said. “I can get with that. See you then.” 

And she pulled her backpack over her shoulder and practically skipped out of the library. A moment later, Jenny and her students started coming in to scan, as usual. Olivia was always glad to see them-- she didn’t know what she was going to do when the scanning was finished and she wouldn’t be able to count on the library to be bustling with students (and Jenny!) for a few hours at the end of every day. She supposed maybe she’d go home earlier, which would be nice, but she liked staying later and helping people. She was often lonely at home.

As Jenny cleaned up, her students gone, she said to Olivia, “It was kind of silly of me to tell you to come over later as if I wouldn’t be here at school until sunset anyway.”

“I did notice that contradiction,” Olivia said.

“We can just go right to my place,” Jenny said. “I’ll drive you.”

Olivia agreed and started to gather up her books.

“Sometimes I’m jealous of you,” she said, “being able to carry everything you need on a laptop.”

“Not even,” Jenny said, “with the Internet and everything. But they make books for computers.”

“They do?” Olivia asked, eyes wide as she struggled to lift her heavy backpack.

“Yeah,” Jenny said. “Here, let me help you with that.” She set down her laptop case and lifted Olivia’s backpack onto her back. “They probably don’t make the books that you need for computers, though.”

“Thanks,” Olivia said. “And I’ll look into that. I suppose I’ll have to learn more about computers.”

“Well, I do have some expertise in that area,” Jenny said, smiling, as she picked up her laptop case again. “I could help you.”

“Would you really?” Olivia asked. They started walking out of the library.

“Of course,” Jenny said. “If we run out of prophecy research, I’ll show you some basics.”

“I’d like that,” Olivia said. “I would be willing to teach you the Dewey Decimal system in return, if you like.”

“You don’t have to do anything in return,” Jenny said quickly. “I mean, it’s not exactly a hardship to hang out with you some more.”

“I know,” Olivia told her, “but I believe that information should be an exchange when possible, so that we can all learn from each other.”

“How come everything you say is so damn eloquent?” Jenny asked.

“Years of practice,” said Olivia.

Once at Jenny’s house, they hit a dead end with prophecy research pretty quickly (they needed something called the Pergamum Codex, which was apparently lost to humanity), but that just meant that there was more time for Jenny to show Olivia how to deal with computers, which meant that Olivia got to sit with Jenny leaning over her, one of Jenny’s hands covering Olivia’s on the mouse, Jenny’s breath warm on her ear. So, while Olivia was fully aware that later she would lament not having the Codex, she wasn’t complaining yet.

Buffy came into the library the next day breathless with excitement about her date, and Olivia hated to ruin the mood with the newspaper article about the van crash. Buffy sighed and rolled her eyes and said, “Do you always want to ruin my fun?” 

Olivia said no, and Buffy still had a choice in whether she used her powers.

“I’m not your mother,” she said, “or even your teacher. I’m just here to help.”

“And I guess I’m glad you do,” Buffy said, picking up the paper. “So, five, huh? Any idea which one’s the big one?”

“I’m relatively certain,” Olivia said, “although I of course cannot be sure that my certainties are fact.”

“Great,” Buffy said. “I’ll swing by the funeral home, stab some corpses, be home for dinner. Thanks.”

“You’re very welcome,” Olivia said. She could see the weariness in Buffy’s eyes.

Still, Buffy came back the next day and told Olivia and Jenny after school that she’d dusted all five who’d died in the van crash.

“And I’m totally seeing Owen again tonight,” she said, waving her copy of Emily Dickinson in the air.

Olivia gave her the kindest smile her mouth knew how to make, and Jenny asked, “And how’s Emily?” 

“Huh?” Buffy asked.

Jenny nodded at the book.

“Oh, she’s good!” Buffy said. “Really, with the-- poetry--”

Jenny laughed. “Good luck with Owen,” she said.

“Thanks!” Buffy said, her voice high-pitched as she ran out of the room.

“Sweet kid,” Jenny remarked.

“Too sweet for the world she lives in,” Olivia murmured.

Jenny turned to Olivia, and there was a fierce look in her eye.

“That’s why we’re here,” she said. “To take her world off her shoulders.” She said it like she was just now realizing it, but also like she was committed to it. Olivia’s own world was reduced to just Jenny’s face, holding her gaze with a blazing power.

“I couldn’t agree more,” she said, rather weakly. 

Their resolve was put to the test a few days later after a particularly eventful field trip to the zoo. Jenny had gone as a chaperone, but hadn’t been with Buffy, Willow, or Xander for most of the trip; Buffy had come back saying that she was  _ sure  _ Xander was possessed by a hyena, and so now Olivia was looking up animal possessions, because it was better to indulge a teenage girl’s hyperbole than to wind up not doing anything about a very real danger.

“The hyena house  _ was  _ pretty suspicious,” Jenny said to Olivia, during a period she had free. She had come over to help set up the new library computer, but now she was lingering, looking over Olivia’s shoulder at the books she was reading. “I’ve heard some stuff about ancient transpossession rituals. This isn’t how it works, though.”

“It might be how it works when the wrong people do it,” Olivia mused. “Or when they use the wrong ceremonies.”

“So we should check out the zookeeper,” Jenny said. “There was a creepy zookeeper guy hanging around the exhibit. I’ll run a search on him.”

“Sounds good,” Olivia said. “I’ll be here.”

Willow came in as usual during sixth period and immediately started on hyena research, and Olivia left her to it to go to a truly horrifying teacher’s meeting. When she got back, walking with Jenny and still processing the information she had just received, Buffy was in the library, Xander was in the book cage, and Willow was looking completely distressed. 

“Is everyone okay?” Olivia asked.

“Despite Xander’s best efforts,” Buffy said. Her voice was quiet, exhausted, like a little bit of the fight had gone out of her. 

“What are the rest of them up to?” Willow asked.

“Well--” Olivia began, unsure how to phrase this. “They ate Herbert the pig, and then they got sent to the principal’s office.”

“Oh, that’ll show them!” Willow said.

Olivia and Jenny shared a look.

“Did it-- show them?” Willow asked, looking from Olivia to Jenny.

“They ate him,” Jenny said flatly.

Willow gasped.

“They can’t do that!” she exclaimed.

“It seems that they did,” Olivia said. “It is a tragic day.”

“I liked Principal Flutie,” Buffy said.

“Me, too,” Jenny said. “Officially, wild dogs got into his office somehow, but there was no one at the scene.”

“So, hyenas?” Buffy asked.

“Looks like it,” Jenny said.

“At least Xander didn’t do it!” Willow said. “I mean, because he was-- with Buffy-- and then he was here.”

“Small mercies,” Olivia said.

“Well,” Jenny said, “I have found some stuff on the zookeeper. He’s written a few articles about transposession rituals, and he seems pretty into the whole idea.”

“Do you think he’d try it?” Buffy asked.

“It seems like he might,” Jenny said. “I think that’s what happened. And I can’t find much on rituals to reverse the transpossession, because it’s usually done in a much safer context by people who both want it and know what they’re doing. And this really isn’t my culture’s magic. It looks like we need a predatory act of some sort… I really don’t like the sound of that...”

“Vampire,” Buffy said. “I lure a vampire there, stake it, hyena spirit leaves the people and goes back into the hyenas.”

“That’s-- a really good idea, actually,” Jenny said. “We’ll also have to get the people there.”

“I can take care of that, too,” Buffy said. “I’m excellent at being chased.”

 

“Or we could do it with the car,” Olivia said to Jenny. “We’ll have to find them, though.”

“And I-- I can lure Xander,” Willow said. “I think-- I think he’d come after me. Because he already came after Buffy.”

“Are you sure?” Olivia asked. The plan made perfect sense, but it did put Willow in a lot of danger.

Willow nodded. 

“And I think it has to be just me,” she said.

“What if we get him following the car?” Jenny asked. “So it can be just you until you get to the parking lot?”

“That sounds good,” Willow said. Olivia could see her relax a little bit.

“So,” Jenny said, “if we take the car and lure the hyena people, and Buffy lures a vampire, and we all meet at the zoo and try to get the hyena spirits back in the hyenas--”

“Jenny,” Olivia said, “this is beginning to sound like a plan.”

Jenny smiled.

It was easy to find the hyena people-- Willow, in her research, had discovered that they needed to sleep after a big kill, so she and Buffy just swept the perimeter of the school until they found a pile of sleeping predators. They left them there while Jenny and Olivia got the car, and then Willow slipped into the library to wait for Xander to wake up, and Buffy left to go find a vampire. 

Olivia hadn’t been bait before. She had volunteered to be the one to do the physical waking up of the hyenas, and she was incredibly nervous; she generally made it a rule to not provoke sleeping predators.

But she did what she had to for Buffy and Willow and Xander and the other students at Sunnydale High, so she got out of the car and poked at the hyena gang with a branch they had picked up expressly for that purpose. The hyena people started to wake up, confused, and Olivia yelled, “You can’t catch me!” and ran to the car.

She jumped in and turned fully around in the seat to watch the hyena people follow behind, poking her head out from behind the headrest like a kid who’s just spotted an interesting truck out the back window. Except instead of a truck, it was four hyena people, and instead of interested, she was terrified. 

The car raced to the zoo, and once there, Jenny just kept driving on the walking paths until she got to the hyena exhibit, at which point she and Olivia leapt out of the car and raced right into the hyena exhibit. Buffy was already there, stake and vampire at the ready, and Willow was cowering in a corner while Xander advanced on her. 

“Stake him!"

Jenny yelled as the other hyena people raced in. 

And then, just as Buffy wound up for a staking, the zookeeper ran in and, before Olivia could even process anything, flailed a club at Jenny.

And in the next moment, Olivia watched Jenny crumple to the ground, Buffy’s vampire turned to dust, and Xander and the four other kids started staggering around, trying to get used to being back in their own bodies.

As Olivia ran to crouch by Jenny’s body on the ground, checking her for blood, she was vaguely aware of Buffy throwing punches at the zookeeper, and then everything dissolved into nothing but Olivia, checking for a pulse and trying to make sure Jenny was all right.

After a moment or two, Jenny’s eyes blinked open, and Olivia breathed again.

“Are you okay?” she asked. “Do you remember what happened?”

“Guy hit me with club,” Jenny said, trying to push herself to a sitting position. “I’m fine. Let’s go.”

“No,” Olivia said. “Not yet.” She looked up. The zookeeper was inside the hyena enclosure, Buffy was standing, stunned, a few feet away, Xander was asking Willow what had happened, and the four other kids were looking dazed and confused.

“Buffy,” Olivia said, “I’m going to need you to take these guys home, okay? Make sure they’re safe.”

“Is Ms. Calendar going to be okay?” Willow asked as Buffy herded the others out. 

“I’m fine,” Jenny said from the ground. “Olivia’s just too cautious.”

“I’m the right amount of cautious,” Olivia said, “but yes, she’s going to be fine.”

“Like, hospital fine or go home fine?” Willow aksed.

“I’m going to take her to my house,” Olivia said, “and if it gets bad enough for the hospital, I’ll call you once we’re there.”

“I don’t need to go to the hospital,” Jenny said, sitting up. Olivia let her this time.

“No,” she agreed. “Willow, go with Buffy.”

“You promise to call?”

“Yes,” Olivia said. 

“Okay.” 

And Willow hurried out, leaving just Olivia and Jenny.

“How does your head feel?” Olivia asked.

“Not bad for a head that feels broken,” Jenny said.

“Fair enough,” Olivia said. “Can you feel all your fingers and toes?”

Jenny wiggled her fingers at Olivia. “Could a person who couldn’t feel their fingers and toes do this?”

“Those aren’t toes,” Olivia said, “but I will choose to believe you. Can you stand?”

Jenny lurched to her feet.

“Oh, the floor is moving,” she said.

“That’s okay,” Olivia told her. “I’ll help you. Come on.”

Fortunately, they didn’t have far to go to the car. Jenny tried to get into the driver’s seat, but Olivia gently guided her to the other side of the car before getting in on the driver’s side herself and asking, “Where are your keys?”

“Left them in the ignition,” Jenny said. “We didn’t have much time.”

“You’re right about that,” Olivia said, and her right hand found the keys and turned them over. She backed the car away from the hyena enclosure, barely even registering that she had dropped her hand from the keys down to touch Jenny’s arm, mostly to comfort Jenny, but also because she had to remind herself that Jenny was there and alive and probably even okay.

“Where are we going?” Jenny asked.

“My house,” Olivia said.

It was only a few minutes to Olivia’s house, and Olivia was beyond grateful for that. Her hand was shaking on the steering wheel, and she almost dropped the keys trying to turn off the car.

“Okay,” she said, both to steady herself and to prepare Jenny. “We’re going to get you out of the car, okay?”

“I can get out myself,” Jenny said.

“You have a concussion,” Olivia said. “Please let me help you.”

“I’m fine,” Jenny said, already opening the car door. Before Olivia could do anything, Jenny was getting out of the car and taking wobbly steps towards the door.

“You are  _ not fine _ ,” Olivia exclaimed, jumping out of the car and running to steady Jenny. “You  _ will be _ fine if you  _ let me help you _ .”

“Yeah, the world is spinning a little bit, actually,” Jenny said,leaning on Olivia.

“Tomorrow we’re going to the doctor,” Olivia said. 

“Oh, no, it’s fine, I’ve hit my head lots of times without seeing anybody,” Jenny said.

“This has happened  _ before _ ?” Olivia asked. “And you didn’t go to the doctor? Jenny, you could have died!”

“I was fine then,” Jenny said, “and I’m fine now.”

“Be that as it may,” Olivia said, “I want you to be fine in the future, as well.” 

Olivia managed to open the door, fumbling her keys in her left hand as she supported Jenny with her right arm. Once inside, she helped Jenny lie on the couch, then said, “I’m going to make tea.”

“Tea?” Jenny asked. 

“Yes,” Olivia said. “Tea is soothing, and I think we could all do with some soothing right about now. Stay there; you need your rest.”

“Okay,” Jenny said. 

Olivia put the kettle on and took a few deep breaths, trying to get the image of Jenny looking dead on the ground out of her mind. She went back into the living room to find Jenny fiddling with a coaster. Olivia sat on the end of the couch by Jenny’s feet.

“How do you feel?” she asked.

“Just fine,” Jenny said. “Head hurts a bit, but I guess that’s to be expected.”

Olivia frowned.

“Let me know if the headache gets worse,” she said.

“Yeah, yeah,” Jenny said. “You don’t have to take care of me, you know.”

“I know,” Olivia said. “But I do care about you, and I don’t want anything bad to happen to you, and now that something bad  _ has _ happened, I think it’s in my best interest to keep you around to make sure you’re okay.”

“Whatever,” Jenny said. “Good thing I like hanging out with you. Think there’s anything good on TV?”

“I don’t actually have a TV,” Olivia said, “so I wouldn’t know.”

“You don’t have a TV?”

“I don’t consider it to be a necessity,” Olivia said, “especially since I don’t really enjoy the programming.”

“Between the tea and the lack of television,” Jenny said mildly, “I think you were meant to be born fifty years ago.”

“When the television had just been invented, and people everywhere had an opinion on it?” Olivia asked. She didn’t quite know if this was historically accurate, but it sounded true.

“Good point,” Jenny said. “But it’s a good head injury activity. Doesn’t require going anywhere, or using any brainpower, or anything.”

“I do have a secret stash of trashy pulp fiction for cases like these,” Olivia admitted, smiling.

Jenny sat straight up, barely even wincing at the pain in her head.

“You  _ do _ ?”

“You need to rest!” Olivia exclaimed, guiding Jenny back down onto the couch. “But yes, and if you would like a low-brainpower read, I recommend it.”

“I just want to know what’s in the Olivia Caliban pulp fiction pile,” Jenny mumbled.

The kettle whistled, and Olivia jumped up to pour two cups of tea. She went back into the living room and gave one to Jenny, and then said, “I’m going to stay in here tonight. To make sure you’re okay.”

“I’m fine,” Jenny said.

“You’ve said that,” Olivia said, “and yet I have a vested interest in ensuring your continued welfare.”

“A vested interest?” Jenny asked.

“You are currently my only teammate in trying to guide a group of very dedicated teenage monster-fighters,” Olivia said. “I’m not sure what we would do without you.”

“Well, it’s nice to feel needed,” Jenny said. “Although I’m glad it was me and not Buffy or Xander or Willow.”

“To be fair, Xander  _ was  _ a hyena,” Olivia remarked. 

“True.” 

“And Jesse died,” Olivia said, her voice somber now.

“Poor kid,” Jenny said. 

“Yeah.”

"But this-- that zookeeper could have hit anyone with the club. It could have been Willow, or you, or one of those kids. So I'm glad it was me, and not them."

"You underestimate your own importance," Olivia said.

For a moment, the room was quiet. 

“I’m glad you’re here,” Jenny said, finally. “Even if I don’t need help.”

“Thank you,” Olivia said. “I’m glad you’re here, too, especially because I do seem to need help so much of the time.”

“I guess it’s a fair trade, then,” Jenny said. “We help each other.”

“Shake on it?” Olivia asked.

Jenny reached an arm out from where she was lounging against the armrest; Olivia took it and shook.

“I’m glad we’re friends,” Olivia said.

“Me, too,” Jenny said. “Even if it does mean I get dragged to the doctor tomorrow.”

After a while, Jenny fell asleep, still holding her cold mug of tea. Olivia tucked a blanket up around her and put the mug on the coffee table, and then she picked up a book and read it all night long, until Jenny woke up safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next we get angel....................... get ready for jenny drama.............


	4. Angel

“He was totally looking at you like he liked you,” Willow was saying as she walked into the library with Buffy. “Olivia, tell Buffy she’s just being insecure.”

“Is this about Owen?” Olivia asked. “I thought we knew he liked her.”

“I broke up with Owen,” Buffy said, offhand. “He heard about the hyena thing and thought it was super cool, so I thought it might be time to break it off before he figured out how cool my side job was.”

“That was very mature of you,” Olivia said.

“Yeah,” Buffy said. “Anyway, I’m over him.”

“So who is this that you’re being insecure about?” Olivia asked.

“Angel!” Willow said.

Buffy flinched.

“Vampire Angel?” Olivia asked. 

“Well, at least he already knows this stuff is dangerous!” Willow exclaimed.

“Yeah!” Buffy said, latching on to that point. “And he’s sweet, and he already knows I don’t read Emily Dickinson, so I don’t have to pretend.” Her voice got quieter. “And he’s kind of in my room right now, because he got hurt on patrol last night, and I don’t know where he goes when he’s not being cryptic, and I don’t think he really has anybody. There aren’t really that many good vampires for him to hang out with.”

“Does your mom know he’s there?” Olivia asked.

“Not exactly,” Buffy admitted. “She doesn’t know I’m the Slayer. I’m not about to tell her I have a guy living in my room.” 

“Well, I’m not usually one to advocate for keeping secrets, but that does seem wise,” Olivia said. “Although perhaps your mom should know that you’re the Slayer.”

“No way,” Buffy said. “She’d go all worry-y on me. And anyway, she’s  _ way _ in denial.”

“Either way, tell Angel he can stay with me while he heals,” Olivia said, making a snap decision.

“Really?” Buffy asked, the beginnings of a smile on her face. 

Olivia nodded.

“If he doesn’t mind a couch,” she said. “Anyway, I’d like to meet him.”

“I’ll tell him,” Buffy said. “I’m guessing he’s just going to disappear again, but it would be nice to give him a choice, at least.”

“It really would,” Olivia said. “Even vampires shouldn’t have to be alone.”

Buffy nodded.

“Did anything else come up during patrol?” Olivia asked. 

“Just a bunch of vampires,” Buffy said. “Not a weird amount. Just, you know, vampires.”

“Okay,” Olivia said. “I won’t be any more worried than usual.”

“Sounds good,” Buffy said, and she followed Willow to a table, where Olivia could hear as their study session quickly turned into talking animatedly about the various boys in their lives. She turned back to her books, smiling slightly.

The library felt empty after school-- Olivia had persuaded Jenny to take a few days off to rest her head, which meant that scanning operations were on hold for a while, and Olivia had a new routine-- she would leave immediately after school and walk to Jenny’s house, where she would keep Jenny company for some time. Jenny always protested that she didn’t need it, but Olivia knew that no one else was around, and so there was a very real possibility that Jenny wouldn’t be interacting with anyone if Olivia didn’t stop by.

But anyway, she had news, so she was practically obligated, morally, to go see Jenny.

And so the minute the bell rang and Buffy and Willow cleared out, meeting Xander at the door, Olivia packed her backpack and left herself. Jenny’s house was a half-hour walk, which Olivia usually enjoyed-- it was a good chance to think about everything going on in her life, and also she wasn’t too in denial to admit she enjoyed the anticipation of knowing she was about to see Jenny. Today, that anticipation mixed with nerves: how was Jenny going to react to Angel?

She stopped on the way to pick up donuts, because Jenny liked donuts, and then she was knocking on Jenny’s door, clutching the paper bakery bag in her other hand.

The door opened and Jenny appeared, her hair half-up in a messy bun, wearing plaid pajama pants and a UCLA T shirt.

“You don’t have to do this, you know,” she said to Olivia, smiling half a smile.

“Do you not want me to?” Olivia asked. “I can leave.”

“No,” Jenny said, a little too quickly. “I just meant-- I’m sure you have better things to do.”

“Nothing better or more important than making sure my good friend doesn’t have to recover alone,” Olivia said. “Besides, Sunnydale High has gotten lonely. There’s no one there quite like you.”

Jenny’s halfhearted smile turned into a real one, and she opened the door wider.

“Well,” she said, “I’ll be back next week.”

“I am unfathomably glad to hear it,” Olivia said, stepping inside. “Also, I have both donuts and news. I suggest you wait to hear the news until you have a donut; it’s not bad, but you might find it to be slightly jarring.”

“Well, color me curious,” Jenny said, taking the box of donuts from Olivia. She set it down on the coffee table in the living room. Olivia sat in one of Jenny’s chairs, her ramrod posture contrasting with Jenny’s comfortable sprawl.

“Buffy tells me Angel slept in her room last night,” she said, deciding that it was better to not bury the lede.

“He what?” Jenny asked. She sat straight up, now matching Olivia’s posture.

“Just on her floor,” Olivia said. “I was assured that it was exceedingly G-rated. He was wounded, and he doesn’t exactly have anyone to take care of him.” Olivia paused before saying the next part. “I actually told Buffy he’s invited to stay with me, if he likes, but she doesn’t seem to think that he’ll accept.”

Jenny sat completely still for a moment, opening and closing her mouth. Finally, she said, “You’re very kind.”

“I only make up for a fraction of the unkindness in the world.”

“I have to call my uncle.” 

“What?” 

Without responding, Jenny got up and went into the kitchen, where her phone was. Olivia stayed perched on the edge of Jenny’s armchair, breaking pieces off of a donut and eating them slowly as she tried her hardest not to listen to Jenny’s conversation. 

Ten minutes (and two donuts) later, Jenny returned.

“I’ve told him I won’t watch Angel anymore,” she said.Her face was pale and drained. “I can’t be responsible for someone’s suffering. Even vampire suffering.”

“That was brave of you,” Olivia said, “and I certainly respect you more for it.”

“Well, then, I can check ‘impress Olivia’ off my to-do list,” Jenny said with a crooked smile. “We’ll need to keep an eye out for my replacement, though.”

“You’re not leaving Sunnydale now, are you?” Olivia asked. “I know that was the entire reason you were here.”

“There are new reasons,” Jenny said. “Buffy, a stable job. Anyway, this town needs a technopagan.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Olivia said. 

“And I have to make sure my successor can’t hurt Angel too bad,” Jenny added, her jaw set.

“Are you suggesting sabotage?” Olivia asked, realizing as she said it that her tone was bordering on flirty.

“Is that a problem?” Jenny replied, grinning.

“Not in the slightest,” Olivia assured her. “This is an honorable pursuit. In fact, if you’re in need of an accomplice, I hope you’ll let me know.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that,” Jenny said. “You’ll know.”

Olivia smiled, holding eye contact with Jenny, and suddenly, even though she was at least three feet away, she felt like they were very, very close. Something shifted, and the air in the room felt thicker, and Olivia knew she had to stop this immediately. She cleared her throat and asked something nonsensical about Jenny’s favorite book, and the air thinned out again, but the awkwardness remained. She and Jenny sat talking for another hour, but it didn’t quite feel the same. 

Olivia excused herself perhaps earlier than she usually would have, even taking sunset into consideration, and spent the whole walk home berating herself. Yes, she had a crush on Jenny, but she couldn’t let that ruin the friendship, and she  _ couldn’t _ let it ruin her career. She still had the tight feeling in her chest that had driven her away from her old job, all the way across the country to where no one had heard of Olivia Caliban. She couldn’t risk that happening again, not when she had a Buffy and a Willow and a Xander to look after and a town to save and a Jenny to care for, because if she didn’t, no one else was going to. And if she ruined this friendship with her crush, she would run the risk of ruining everything else as well. 

By the time she got to her place, she had calmed down a little bit. She made herself dinner and read her book, still feeling uncomfortable and uncertain. 

The next day was Saturday, which Olivia spent alone, uninterrupted by Jenny or Buffy or Angel. The solitude helped her thoughts settle a little bit, but not all the way. 

She was just about to go to bed when the phone rang. It was Xander, saying something about Buffy’s mom and vampires and maybe Angel wasn’t as good as he seemed. Olivia immediately rushed into action. She grabbed her backpack and her nighttime go bag, which held a cross, some garlic, three vials of holy water, and two stakes, and then she realized that the hospital was farther away than she dared walk, and she would have to call Jenny.

She really did have to look into getting a car.

Jenny was immediately very worried, and Olivia immediately regretted calling her.

“You’re supposed to be recovering,” she said on the phone. “Just let me take the car.”

“No, I have to be there for Buffy,” Jenny insisted. “You can drive, but I’m coming too. Call it a condition of using the car.”

Olivia gave in. It was more important to help Buffy and find out what had happened than to have this argument. 

“I accept,” she said. “I’ll be right over.”

The walk to Jenny’s house was without mishap, and Jenny was waiting at the door, car keys in hand, and then Olivia was driving Jenny’s car to the hospital, hands tense on the wheel.

“Are you okay?” Jenny asked. “You’ve been acting-- different.”

“I’m fine,” Olivia lied. “I’m-- stressed.”

“There’s a lot going on,” Jenny agreed.

“Precisely.” Olivia kept driving. “The vampire aspect of Sunnydale is far more than I bargained for when I moved here.”

“Not too much?” Jenny asked.

“Not too much,” Olivia said, “although combined with other confusions in life, I do have a lot to be getting on with.”

“Hey, at least it’s not boring,” Jenny said. 

“Decidedly not,” Olivia agreed. 

They got to the hospital and told the front desk that they were friends of the Summers family, which was almost true, and the receptionist didn’t question it, although she gave them a familiar searching look as they walked past, and Olivia flinched, realizing what she and Jenny looked like, the way they stood just a little too close together. As they walked up, she deliberately outpaced Jenny, letting the click of her heels on the floor quicken. If Jenny noticed anything was wrong, she didn’t let on, and the two of them walked like that up to Buffy’s mom’s room.

Buffy’s mom herself was asleep. Olivia realized that she hadn’t met Mrs. Summers before-- she was so attached to her child, but not really in a way that led to shaking of hands and friendly small talk. A young girl with light brown hair was sitting next to the bed, looking at Olivia and Jenny with scared wide eyes, and Buffy, Willow, and Xander were huddled in a corner. 

“Who are you?” the girl asked.

“I’m Ms. Caliban,” Olivia said. “The librarian at Sunnydale High. And this is Ms. Calendar. We’re quite closely associated with Buffy in school, and so we wanted to see if there was anything we could do.”

These last words were directed pointedly at Buffy herself, who had broken the huddle and was now looking at Olivia and Jenny.

“You came,” she said. “You didn’t have to.”

“We know,” Olivia said. She stepped further into the room, allowing Jenny to walk in. “We just wanted to know if we could help.”

Buffy nodded. 

“Xander and Willow can tell you what happened,” she said. “I-- I want to stay here.”

“Sounds good,” Jenny said. “Into the hall?”

It turned out that the hospital actually had a lounge just down the hall from Mrs. Summers’ room, so Olivia and Jenny and Willow and Xander crowded onto a blue plasticy couch to debrief. 

“It was Angel,” Xander said.

“We don’t know that for sure,” Willow corrected.

“Buffy came home and  _ saw  _ him,” Xander said. “And then he ran away!”

“Jenny said he was good,” Willow said.

“I need the whole story first,” Jenny said. Her face had gone white. 

Willow looked at Xander as if expecting him to explain, and then when he didn’t, she took a deep breath.

“Buffy and I were studying at my house,” she said, “and then Buffy went home, and she found her mom in the kitchen, and then Angel was there in vampface, and then he ran away before she could say anything, and apparently he did the same thing last night because they hadn’t talked about the vampire thing and then his face changed, and so it kind of looks like he might-- he might be kind of evil--” Willow stopped to take a breath. “And Dawn was upstairs, but she just says she heard her mom let someone in, and she said she didn’t want to go talk to them and so she didn’t go down, but I think she’s kind of beating herself up over it, even though the doctors are saying she just fell funny, because we didn’t tell them about Angel or anything.”

“Dawn?” Jenny asked. She still looked pale. Without thinking about it, she put her hand on Jenny’s arm.

“Buffy’s sister,” Xander explained. “You saw her in the room back there.”

“She’s so young,” Olivia said, the words just coming out of her as she let out her breath.”

“So are we,” Willow said. “What are we going to do?”

“We have to wait until Mrs. Summers wakes up to do anything,” Jenny said, her voice shaking. “We have to make sure we’re right. And Buffy’s not going to want to leave her mom unconscious, and we need a Slayer, whatever happens next.”

“And for now,” Olivia added, because Willow still looked jittery, and Olivia knew Willow well enough to know that Willow always needed a task, “we should focus on making sure Buffy and Dawn are okay.”

“Oh!” Xander exclaimed, jumping up. “I can get snacks!” 

“I’ll go with you,” Willow said, standing, her arms wrapped tight around her body. “That’d be-- that’d be helpful, right?”

“Of course,” Olivia said. “People often forget to eat in times of crisis.”

“This is a crisis?” Willow asked.

Olivia kicked herself mentally.

“Of course it’s a crisis,” Xander said. “What do you think? Buffy’s mom gets bitten by a vampire and it’s  _ not _ a crisis?”

“I like to think that it’s a temporary crisis,” Olivia said. “Mrs. Summers is going to be fine, but she, Buffy, and Dawn still need support.”

“Okay,” Willow said. “Temporary crisis.”

“Come on, Wil,” Xander said, tugging at Willow’s arm. “Temporary crisis needs cookies.” 

He and Willow left, and Olivia watched as Jenny sank back into the couch, her hair falling into her face.

“This is my fault,” she said. “I was supposed to watch Angel, and I didn’t.”

“It’s not,” Olivia said. “It’s not your fault.”

“I don’t even know how he could have lost his soul again,” Jenny said. “I don’t even know enough about my own family’s curse to know how to break it. What if he kills somebody?”

“Angel might not have been the one to bite Mrs. Summers,” Olivia said. “If he’s truly a good vampire, there’s a chance he was trying to help somehow. We won’t know anything until we talk to Mrs. Summers.”

Her hand was still on Jenny’s arm, and she moved it up to Jenny’s shoulder, trying to provide comfort, or perhaps just a sense of solid and reassuring certainty.

“It’s okay,” she said. “We’re going to make sure it’s okay.”

Jenny nodded. She seemed to straighten up a little bit. 

“Do you think someone will tell us when Mrs. Summers wakes up?” she asked.

“I do,” Olivia said. 

“Okay,” Jenny said. “So I’m going to pretend I’m okay for the kids.”

“I think that might be the best course of action,” Olivia agreed. “But if you ever need to stop pretending, you don’t have to for me.”

“That’s okay,” Jenny said, taking a deep breath. “I’ll be fine.” 

“You’ll be fine,” Olivia repeated. She let her hand fall from Jenny’s shoulder. She was trying to figure out what to say next, but she was saved the trouble when Xander ran into the room.

“She’s awake,” he said. “Come on.”

Olivia and Jenny stood and followed him to Mrs. Summers’ room, where they stopped just outside.

“I’m going to ask if it’s okay for you to come in,” Xander said. “I don’t want to interrupt family bonding time.”

“Of course,” Jenny said. 

Xander disappeared into the room, and Olivia looked at Jenny, who now looked beautifully composed, somehow, her back straight, her hair tucked back behind her ears. A moment later, Xander poked his head back out and told them to come in, and they stepped into the room. 

Inside, Olivia couldn’t actually see Mrs. Summers’s face; she was surrounded by Buffy, Dawn, and Willow. But as the door swung shut behind Jenny, Buffy turned around and smiled as she moved aside, saying, “Mom, this is Ms. Caliban and Ms. Calendar. They were in the neighborhood and wanted to see if you were okay.”

“You’re teachers?” Mrs. Summers asked, letting her head fall to the side to face Jenny and Olivia.

“I’m the librarian,” Olivia said. “Jenny’s a teacher. We’ve come to care about Buffy and her friends quite a bit, and so we heard about this and wanted to stop in.”

“That school is amazing,” Mrs. Summers mumbled. “Thank you.”

“Do you remember what happened?” Jenny asked.

“I don’t know,” Mrs. Summers said. “I was with Buffy’s friend, and I was going to make her food, and then I woke up here.”

“Buffy’s friend?” Olivia asked, glancing at Buffy.

“Yes, Darla,” said Mrs. Summers. “She came to help study history… someone should really make sure she’s okay.”

“Yes,” Jenny said. “We’ll do it. Olivia?”

“Of course,” Olivia said. “Feel better, Mrs. Summers.”

“Oh, please, call me Joyce,” Mrs. Summers said. “Thank you so much for taking care of Buffy at school. I worry.”

“I’m right here,” Buffy said.

“It’s our pleasure,” Olivia said to Joyce.

“We’ll talk to you later,” Jenny said to Buffy. 

“We’ll call you tomorrow,” Olivia specified.

“Thanks,” Buffy said, and she turned back to her mother as Olivia and Jenny slipped out.

In the hall, Jenny asked, “Do we know a Darla?”

Olivia thought for a moment. 

“I think,” she said, “one of the vampires who killed Jesse was named Darla. She works for the Master.”

“Shit,” Jenny said. 

“Yes, I think that’s appropriate,” Olivia agreed. “We’ll have to find out where she is.”

“And then tell Buffy?” Jenny asked.

“I don’t think we can take her out ourselves,” Olivia said.

“I just feel bad bothering Buffy,” Jenny said. “When her mom’s hurt and everything.”

“Me, too,” Olivia admitted. “Hopefully it provides an opportunity for catharsis.”

“Is it weird if part of me is jealous?” Jenny said. “I kind of wish my family and I cared about each other that much.”

“I feel much the same way,” Olivia said. By now, they were passing through the waiting room to the parking lot.

“What’s your family like?” Jenny asked. “I kind of just imagine you as having always existed just like you are now.”

“I can assure you that is not the case,” Olivia said. “However, I have enjoyed a solitary existence for quite a few years now.”

“I’m sorry,” Jenny said. 

“I haven’t minded it,” Olivia said, “but I do prefer not to be alone. Befriending you and helping Buffy and her friends has been quite a refreshing experience.”

“I think so, too,” Jenny said. 

They were at Jenny’s car. Olivia opened the passenger side door for Jenny, smiling a little, and Jenny smiled back as she slid in.

They were on the road, on their way back to Jenny’s house, when Olivia made a decision. 

“I think you should know why my family doesn’t talk to me,” she said, keeping her eyes fixed on the road, “in case you decide that you would also like to cut ties.”

“I doubt that’ll be an issue,” Jenny said. 

“Well,” Olivia, “you haven’t heard what I have to say.”

She paused. Jenny was still silent. Olivia wanted to glance at her, but she didn’t dare. She just kept going.

“I’m a lesbian,” she said. 

Jenny said nothing for another moment.

“Are you-- going to hate me?” Olivia asked. “You are welcome to cut all contact with me.” 

“I would never,” Jenny said. There was something steely in her voice. “There’s nothing wrong with you.”

“I don’t know about that,” Olivia said, suddenly more nervous than she had been a moment before. “Please don’t tell anyone.”

“Don’t worry,” Jenny said quickly. “I won’t. Thank you for trusting me.”

“I do trust you,” Olivia said. “I-- I got fired from my last job. My family doesn’t talk to me. But I would like for someone here to know who I really am, at least.”

There was another moment of silence. It felt charged, somehow.

“I’m bi,” Jenny finally said.

“You’re what?” Olivia asked.

“Bisexual,” Jenny said. “I like men and women. If we’re sharing.”

“Oh,” Olivia said, feeling a smile creep onto her face. She fought it down.  “Does your family know?”

“No,” Jenny said. “I stopped telling them things a while ago.”

“Wish I’d done that,” Olivia said. “Or, I suppose I did. But I didn’t have the choice.”

“Neither did I, really,” Jenny said. “They don’t like to listen.”

“I understand,” Olivia said. “And I want you to know that I’ll listen to you.”

“Thanks,” Jenny said.

Olivia pulled into Jenny’s driveway.

“How’s your head?” she asked.

“Fine,” Jenny said. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Olivia said, opening the door to the car.

“Wait,” Jenny said, stepping out onto the driveway. “It’s too dark to walk home. You should just stay here.”

“I have a cross in my bag,” Olivia said. “And holy water, and a stake, although I hope I will not have reason to use it.”

“You can’t,” Jenny said. “We don’t need Buffy worried about you, too. I have pajamas you can borrow.”

Olivia paused. 

“Okay,” she said, finally. She was nervous, suddenly. She hadn’t thought Jenny would want a lesbian around. Most people didn’t, at any rate. 

“Come on, Olivia,” Jenny said, standing halfway between Olivia and the house. “I’m not letting you get all weird just because I know you’re gay. Just-- take my pajamas, sleep on my couch, and you can go home in the morning.”

Something within Olivia released, and she smiled. 

“Okay,” she said again. “Thank you, Jenny.”

“No problem,” Jenny said breezily, opening the door and letting Olivia in. “Anything for a friend.”

Olivia fell asleep that night on Jenny’s couch, wearing Jenny’s T shirt and clutching one of Jenny’s blankets around her. She hadn’t expected to, but somehow, she felt safe. Safer than she did at home, even.

She woke up the next morning to the smell of coffee and the sound of Jenny humming in the kitchen. She sat up, smiling a little, and pushed her glasses onto her face. Her hair was a mess, but fortunately, her backpack was next to the couch, with a hairbrush and a little compact mirror inside. She sat up and started to brush. She barely noticed when Jenny came into the room, carrying two mugs and a newspaper.

“Yours has tea,” she said, setting it down next to Olivia. “I didn’t remember whether you like coffee.”

“I do much prefer tea,” Olivia said, twisting her hair up and tying it. She took a sip from her mug. It was exactly what she wanted to wake up to: hot tea and Jenny sprawled in the chair next to her, reading the paper. The only way it could have been better would have been if Jenny had been on the couch with Olivia, maybe cuddling a little bit, but Olivia wasn’t about to push her luck.

“Says there was a fight at the Bronze last night,” Jenny said, flipping the paper down. “People heard noises. Think it was Buffy?”

“Yes,” Olivia said. “I do. Poor girl.”

“I hope she got to let out some of her feelings,” Jenny said. “I get the idea she’s seriously repressed.”

“I quite agree,” Olivia said. 

She finished her tea, and Jenny gave her some clothes, and then Olivia walked home, feeling a little out of place in Jenny’s sweater and too-tight pants. She spent the rest of the day reading about the Master, except when Buffy called to say she’d staked Darla and Angel wasn’t bad, after all. 

“Did you call Jenny?” Olivia asked.

“No,” Buffy said. “I figured you’d tell her.”

“I think she’d like to hear this from you,” Olivia said. “She was worried.”

“Okay,” Buffy said. “See you tomorrow, Ms. Caliban.”

“Tomorrow,” Olivia agreed. She hung up.

And so the evil was defeated for another day. If only there weren’t so much more evil in the future that had to be researched.


	5. I Robot, You Jane

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please excuse the plot inconsistencies! Pretend that whatever I am saying happened is actually what happened in the show, and not just what I thought happened in the show before I looked up the transcript.

Having Jenny in school again was wonderful. Olivia hadn’t realized how much she’d missed having Jenny pop into the library a few times a day. Maybe it was just the crush talking, but Olivia was lonely when Jenny wasn’t around. 

And now she certainly wasn’t lonely, because Jenny had visited her three times already, and it wasn’t even lunch yet. “I was on my way to the teachers’ lounge,” she said the first time, “and I was wondering if you want me to bring you a muffin?” 

Olivia agreed without thinking, and it wasn’t until Jenny came back with the muffin for visit number two that she remembered that the library was by no means on the way to the teachers’ lounge from Jenny’s classroom. 

Still, the third visit was technically for books, but Jenny spent at least five minutes extra teasing Olivia for the way she didn’t quite know how to use the scanner.

“Don’t they teach these things in librarian school?” she asked, grinning.

“We are ahead of the times here at Sunnydale High,” Olivia informed her, suppressing a smile, “and this computer is awfully finicky.”

“Whatever,” Jenny said, taking her book. “I’m just saying. These things are supposed to  _ save _ time.”

“As if you’ve never had trouble with anything,” Olivia replied. 

At lunch, Olivia went to Jenny’s classroom, ostensibly for research, but mostly because she was thrilled to be able to spend her lunch with Jenny. She would have felt self-conscious about it, except that Jenny’s smile when Olivia walked in made all doubts fly out of her mind. 

“Hey,” Jenny said. “Come to keep me company again?”

“Actually, I was hoping you’d keep me company,” Olivia said. “It goes both ways, you know.”

“I’m not arguing,” Jenny said. “Still reading up on the Master?”

“Oh, no,” Olivia said. She pulled a chair to the front of Jenny’s desk, placing her lunch and books on the surface. “I’ve run out of material on the Master. What we really need are some ancient books of prophecy, and they’ve been lost. Now I’m trying to catch up on my vampire lore and demonology, and to that end, I’m refreshing my Latin knowledge. I can’t teach myself Sanskrit, but I can at least remember the uses of the subjunctive.”

“I always wanted to learn Latin,” Jenny said. “I’ve picked up a bit here and there, with the whole technopagan thing. But I’ve never learned properly.”

“I could teach you,” Olivia offered. “In all our free time, of course.”

“Maybe on weekends,” Jenny said. 

“I’m in,” Olivia said. “It’ll be a good chance for me to review.”

“Oh, hey,” Jenny said. “You up for the scanning operation to continue? We were just about to get into some of the really old stuff.”

“Absolutely,” Olivia said. “I’ve missed you all cluttering my library.”

“Your library,” Jenny scoffed. “I thought knowledge belonged to the people.”

“And the library belongs to Sunnydale High School,” Olivia agreed, “but I do feel some ownership of it, as its steward.”

“As well you should, I suppose,” Jenny said. 

“Thank you,” Olivia said. “You know, if you wanted to learn Latin, this book might be a good place to start.” She handed Jenny the top book from her stack.

“You were serious about this, huh,” Jenny said, looking at the book.

“If you are,” Olivia said.

“Right now?” Jenny asked.

“I’ve got nothing better to do,” Olivia said.

“Explains why you’re here,” teased Jenny.

Olivia just smiled and leaned forward, opening the textbook on top of Jenny’s keyboard. 

She went back to the library after lunch, and she didn’t see Jenny again until after school. Willow and Buffy were in sixth period, as usual, Xander tagging along, and Olivia asked about fighting Darla; Buffy just said it had been hard, and Angel had helped.

“She had a gun,” Willow added. 

“Do vampires usually use guns?” Olivia asked.

“No,” Buffy said. “I’d be in big trouble if they did.”

“You’re already in more trouble than is ideal for a girl of your age,” Olivia said.

“Yeah, I know,” Buffy said. “You’re an adult, you have to worry.”

“I don’t have to,” Olivia corrected, but some part of her knew that wasn’t quite true. She was hard-wired to worry about kids. But someone had to, and if she didn’t, who would?

Jenny, probably. She was that kind of woman. 

At any rate, Olivia left Buffy, Willow, and Xander to their homework (or, more likely, to their gossip) and turned back to her Latin. It really had been too long since she’d done any translation-- she’d learned in college, but let the knowledge lie stagnant in the years since. She hadn’t ever thought she’d need it for much more than satisfying her own curiosity, but now she found herself in Latin-related life-or-death situations far more than the average adult. And she had access to a library with more Latin texts than she’d ever before been able to access.

She translated for the entirety of sixth period, at the end of which Jenny came in, leaned across the desk, and said, “Oh, look, an old book! What a surprise.”

Olivia blushed and closed the book. 

“I suppose you’re going to want to use the computers instead,” she said.

“Well, to be fair, my Latin’s a little rusty,” Jenny said. 

“It can’t be rusty if it doesn’t exist to begin with,” Olivia replied, her sweetest smile on her face.

Jenny laughed. 

“Well, we’re invading you with the scanners again today,” she said. She turned her head and called in the direction of Willow and Buffy. “Hey, Willow, you want to help me carry some stuff?”

“Sure,” Willow answered, hopping right up. 

“Would you like help from me as well?” Olivia asked.

“Don’t worry about it,” Jenny said. “I’ve got a couple other kids coming in.”

“All right,” Olivia said. “Just let me know if you need anything.”

“Of course.” Jenny flashed a smile and followed Willow back out of the library.

A few minutes later, the library was filled with students running around and scanning things, just like it had been before Jenny’s injury. Olivia watched from her desk, smiling to herself while Buffy leaned against the other side, chattering about Angel and asking about the Master and making snarky comments about the creepy guys Jenny had on the scanners. 

“That Fritz talks like he  _ wants _ robots to take over the world,” Buffy said. “Are you sure the Master is the one to worry about?”

“I believe the Master to be a more immediate threat,” Olivia said, “but we can put evil robots on the list.”

“Does the Hellmouth thing apply to evil robots?” Buffy asked. “Like, does it somehow attract their evil energy, too?”

“I think these are questions for Ms. Calendar,” Olivia said, “although I am enjoying the speculation.”

“She’d probably give me a real answer,” Buffy said. “I like jokes. I don’t have to Slay them.”

“Fair enough,” Olivia said.

“So, is there really enough research to keep you here after school?” Buffy asked.

Olivia looked down at the prophecy she had been halfheartedly translating.

“Not really,” she said. “But I feel uneasy if others are in the library when I am not, and I do enjoy Jenny’s company.”

“Jenny?” Buffy asked.

“I’m sorry, I meant Ms. Calendar,” Olivia said. “She and I are close friends.”

“Yeah, I knew  _ that _ ,” Buffy said. “She comes to see you, like, six times a day. And that’s just when I’m around.”

“Well,” Olivia said feebly, “we’re always doing research together.”

“It’s not like I’m about to shame you for wanting to hang out with your friend,” Buffy said. “Why do you think I’m still here? And Xander’s helping with the books and everything. I think it’s good that you have a friend. I mean, even teachers need friends, right?”

“Yes,” Olivia said. “I suppose so.”

“I’m going to go help scan,” Buffy said. “Let me know if your Latin turns up anything Slayable.”

“I’ll be sure to,” Olivia said.

Buffy skipped over to Willow, and Olivia turned back to her Latin. Before she knew it, Buffy and Xander were waving goodbye, and Jenny’s students started trickling out, and then it was just Willow scanning in the last few books of the day while Jenny and Olivia started cleaning up.

“Hey, Willow,” Jenny said. “Do you need a ride home?”

“I usually just walk,” Willow said. “It’s not far.”

“Not alone after dark you don’t,” Jenny said. “Ride with me and Olivia.”

“Olivia and me,” Olivia said, reflexively.

Jenny looked up. 

“Sorry?” 

“Technically the grammatically correct phrasing would be Olivia and me,” Olivia said. “Not that it matters, of course. I have a tendency to reflexively correct, even when the situation does not demand it.”

“Nerd,” Jenny said. “Willow, you know she knows  _ Latin _ ?”

“Oh, I’ve tried to learn Latin!” Willow said. “I kind of gave up after I couldn’t find any books on it in the library. Why doesn’t our library have any books about Latin?”

“They’re not up front,” Olivia said. “I’ll show you sometime.”

“Oh, God, you’re  _ both _ nerds,” Jenny said, picking up her bag. “Come on, let’s go.”

“Don’t worry,” Willow told Olivia as they both fell into step behind Jenny. “Nerds are in. Buffy told me.”

“I hadn’t heard that,” Olivia said.

“Neither had I,” Jenny said over her shoulder, elbowing the library door open.

Jenny drove Willow home, staying at her driveway long enough to make sure she reached the door, and then she did the same for Olivia. That night, Olivia fell asleep feeling like her life was back to normal.

Of course, nothing was ever “back to normal” in Sunnydale. The next day, Buffy came running into the library just after second period, almost breaking the door running up to Olivia’s desk and asking, “Have you seen Willow?”

“Not since last night,” Olivia told her. “But I don’t usually see her until sixth period. Is something wrong?”

“She’s not here,” Buffy said. “And this is  _ Willow _ . She calls me at  _ seven in the morning  _ if she’s not going to be in school.”

Just then, Xander burst in.

“Did you find her?” he asked.

“No,” Buffy said.

“Have you called her home?” Olivia asked.

“Not yet,” Buffy admitted. “I was going to go ask Ms. Calendar if Willow’s with her first.”

“Well, there’s no harm in that,” Olivia said. “Tell me what she says?”

“Yeah.” Buffy fixed her eyes on Xander. “Xander, stay here?”

“Sure,” Xander said. “I can call.”

“Yeah. Good idea.” Buffy turned and hurried off. 

Xander reached over Olivia’s desk to the phone and dialed Willow’s number. He picked up the phone and listened for about a minute before setting it back down.

“No answer.”

Just then, Buffy came back, Ms. Calendar in tow.

“She says she was coming to talk to you anyway,” Buffy explained. “As if you don’t spend all your free time together already.”

“Only a reasonable amount of free time,” Olivia said.

“Whatever,” Buffy said. “We’re worrying about Willow right now, remember?”

“I’m not sure there’s much to worry about,” Jenny said. “Everyone has an off day sometimes.”

“This isn’t what Willow’s off days look like,” Buffy said. “She never misses school.”

“Jenny may have a point,” Olivia said. “Unforeseen circumstances can deter even the best.”

“She didn’t answer the phone,” Xander said.

“She might be asleep,” Jenny said. “She doesn’t seem like the type to ditch to go somewhere.”

“She’s not the type to sleep in, either,” Buffy said. “I’m worried.”

“Well,” Olivia said, “we don’t know for sure whether anything’s wrong, so I propose we wait until the end of the day before we take any action. If she doesn’t contact us before the end of the day, we can begin our search.”

“Okay,” Buffy said. “We’ll check in.”

“Now go,” Jenny said. “You’ll be late for class.”

“And so will you,” Olivia said pointedly to Jenny.

“Yeah, yeah,” Jenny said, and she followed Buffy and Xander out of the library.

Buffy was back at lunch, and Xander was back after fourth period. Both times, Olivia said she had no updates, and neither did Jenny, because she was sure Jenny would have come to the library and said something. But when sixth period rolled around, Buffy walked in with Willow as if nothing had ever been wrong, chattering away as usual.

“Is he cute?” she was asking.

“I think so,” Willow responded. “He seems cute.”

“You don’t know?” Buffy asked. 

“I haven’t seen him yet!” Willow protested.

They sat down at the table in the center of the library, and Olivia, concerned, moved near them on a pretense of shelving books.

“You haven’t  _ seen _ him?” Buffy asked.

“Not exactly,” Willow said. “But he’s really nice, Buffy.”

“Ms. Caliban,” Buffy said, and Olivia paused in her shelving and turned to face Buffy, “do you think it’s possible to love someone without knowing what they look like?”

Olivia thought for a moment.

“I suppose it depends on the nature of the love,” she said, “and on your connection to the person. Why do you ask?”

“Willow has a cool new Internet boyfriend--” 

“He’s not my boyfriend!” Willow interjected.

“--and I’m worried,” Buffy said, leveling a look at Willow. 

“Is that why you weren’t in school this morning?” Olivia asked.

“I slept in,” Willow admitted. “For the first time  _ ever _ , I might add, so I don’t see what the big deal is.”

“There wouldn’t be a big deal,” Olivia said, “except that this is Sunnydale, and I am always concerned when I don’t know whether someone I care about is safe.”

Willow’s face softened a little bit.

“Yeah, I know,” she said. “Sorry.”

“I do wish that you could be a teenager without fear,” Olivia said, “but I suppose my teenage years were not free of fear either.”

“Yeah,” Willow said again.

“But you’re safe,” Buffy said, “and now we all get to gossip.”

“Well, I’m going to continue shelving books,” Olivia said, “but I will put in a word of advice, if that’s permissible.”

“Sure,” Willow said.

“Be careful,” Olivia said. “Even when you do know what the other person looks like, relationships are not to be taken lightly. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“You sound like a mom,” Buffy said. “Are you a mom?”

“Just a librarian,” Olivia said, “and someone who cares very much about children.”

“Well, thanks,” Willow said. “I’m careful. I just-- I don’t think I’m going to meet anybody who likes me this much in real life.”

“Life can often surprise you,” Olivia told her. She picked up one of the books from her cart and flipped it open, checking for the Dewey decimal number penciled in the corner of the front page. The number was there, but the front page was not-- or, at any rate, there were no words on it. She flipped through the book. The whole thing was blank.

“Is this one of the books that was scanned last night?” she asked Willow.

“Um, I think so,” Willow said. “You’ll have to ask Ms. Calendar if you want to know for sure.”

“I think I might,” Olivia said. “I’ll just set it aside.”

“All good?” Buffy asked.

“I hope so,” Olivia said. She brought the book behind the front desk and set it down next to the computer, and then she went back to shelving. None of the other books were affected in such a way, at least. 

Jenny came in at her usual time, talking over her shoulder at one of the students from the day before. Olivia waited until she had paused, and then called from her desk, “Jenny, could I possibly have a word with you?”

“Of course,” Jenny said. “Dave, just start where we left off yesterday, all right? Willow can show you.”

Dave nodded and walked past, and Jenny turned to lean on Olivia’s computer. 

“What’s up?”

Olivia picked up the mysterious book and propped it against one arm.

“I want you to look at this,” she said, opening the book to a random page. It was blank.

“At what?” Jenny asked.

“That’s exactly it,” Olivia said. “I believe this book is meant to have words in it.”

“Are you sure?” Jenny asked. “Maybe it’s a journal.”

“I believe this was scanned last night,” Olivia said.

“So you’re thinking it’s a little more Hellmouth-related than a journal,” Jenny said.

“Yes,” Olivia agreed. “I think it must be.”

“What’s on the front?” Jenny asked.

Olivia flipped the book closed. There were no words on the front, but there was a rather horrible picture. 

“I’m not sure,” she said. “I’ll have to do some research.”

“Please do,” Jenny said. “I’ll put out a call in my online circles.” She was already pulling her laptop out of her bag, and she placed it on the desk and flipped it open.

“Thank you,” Olivia said. “I suspect that will be much more helpful. I’m not quite sure where to start with the books.”

“I’ll have to introduce you to some of my chat rooms,” Jenny said. “You’d like them, I think. Lots of information-seekers.”

“I would be very interested,” Olivia said. “For now, I suppose I’ll look in the books for entries on-- well, books. If you’ll excuse me.”

“Of course,” Jenny said, and Olivia slipped out from behind the desk and past the scanning students to access the shelves. 

She spent about half an hour reading about spell books and sorcery and enchanted literature before Jenny came running through the stacks, saying, “There’s a demon in the Internet.”

“I’m not surprised,” Olivia said, looking up. “It seems that that book had a demon inside it.”

“And we scanned it,” Jenny said.

“Yes,” Olivia said. 

“My people are already working on ways to exorcise it,” Jenny said.

“Do we know which demon?” Olivia asked.

“Everyone seems to disagree,” Jenny said, “but Moloch is the top candidate.”

“The corruptor?” Olivia asked, aghast.

“The very same,” Jenny agreed. 

“Oh, no,” Olivia said. And then something else occurred to her. “Oh,  _ no _ .”

“What?” Jenny asked.

“ _ Willow _ ,” Olivia said. “Her computer boyfriend.”

Horror descended onto Jenny’s face.

“Who mysteriously showed up the day we scanned that book,” she said.

“And whose name is Malcolm, which is suspiciously similar to Moloch,” Olivia added.

“Oh, Willow.”

“We have to talk to her,” Olivia said. “Preferably separate from others.”

“They can’t hear us here if we’re quiet,” Jenny said. “I’ll go get her.” She disappeared around a shelf, and Olivia waited only a moment before she was back with Willow. 

“What’s up?” Willow asked. “Did you figure anything out about that book?”

“We think so,” Olivia said. “This book housed a demon in the Middle Ages, and the demon has been released.”

“Well, where is it?” Willow asked.

“That’s the thing,” Olivia explained. “The demon is meant to be released when the book is read aloud, but we didn’t read it aloud. We scanned it. The demon was, um-- Jenny, what’s the word?”

“Uploaded,” Jenny said.

“The demon was uploaded to the Internet,” Olivia said.

“Oh,” Willow said. “That’s not good.”

“No,” Jenny said. “And we’re worried that Malcolm is the demon.”

Immediately, Willow stepped back, crossing her arms.

“Xander already gave me this talk,” she said. “How come no one wants me to be happy?”

“We only don’t want your happiness to be under false pretenses,” Olivia said. “Not to mention that your happiness does not have to be dependent on the presence of a boy.”

“I know that,” Willow said. “But what if boys don’t want to be present without the pretense? This might be my only chance.”

“It won’t be,” Jenny said, resting a hand on Willow’s arm. “And if he’s a demon, it doesn’t even count as a chance, okay? Sometimes you have to wait.”

“I guess,” Willow said. “But-- but if he  _ is _ a demon, what’s he going to do if I break up with him?”

“We’ll deal with that,” Olivia said. “We have a Slayer on our side, and all of Jenny’s computer witch friends.”

“Technopagan is the term,” Jenny said. “And we’re already working on a way to stop Moloch, all right?”

“Okay,” Willow said. “And if Malcolm isn’t the demon, the spell won’t do anything to him?”

“No,” Jenny said. “He’ll be fine, but he could still be dangerous. Not that you shouldn’t pursue him, but you should be careful if you do.”

“I know,” Willow said. “I guess I just got kind of carried away.”

“And remember that your life is worthwhile even without a boy who likes you,” Olivia added. “Sometimes even more worthwhile.”

“Yeah,” Willow said. “I just don’t think other people always like me.” 

“Well,” Jenny said, “they do, okay? A lot of people care about you.”

Willow smiled. 

“Thanks,” she said. “I guess I should probably go break up with Malcolm. Or, if you guys are doing a spell, maybe I don’t have to, and I can just wait for him to go boom.”

“That may be the wiser option,” Olivia said. “As much as I hate deception.”

“Well, he deceived me first,” Willow said. “I’m going to go back and scan.” 

With one last little smile, she hurried away, leaving Jenny and Olivia alone in the stacks. 

“She’ll be all right,” Jenny said, relief plain on her face.

“If we can get Moloch out of the Internet,” Olivia said. 

“Right,” Jenny said. “It’s not really a school week if we’re not fighting some beast from hell.”

“Of course not,” Olivia said.

“Do you know anything about witchcraft?” Jenny asked.

“Only what I’ve read,” Olivia said. “Although I do also read palms and tea leaves. I don’t know how truthful those readings are, but I’ll read yours sometime, if you like.”

“Oh, really?” Jenny smiled. “I might take you up on that. But right now I was just going to ask if you wanted to help with the spell against Moloch.”

“I’d be honored,” Olivia said.

Jenny smiled, and for a moment Olivia thought about how easy it would be to lean down and kiss her. No one would see; they were behind the bookshelves, and no one ever actually looked at the books in the library. It would be so easy.

But Olivia only entertained the notion for a long moment before she forced herself to look down, away from Jenny’s sly smile and deep brown eyes. 

“I’ll tell you when we’re ready,” Jenny said. “It might be tomorrow. We have to get people from all over, make a sort of a circle inside the Internet.”

“Okay,” Olivia said, still a little disoriented. “I’ll speak with Buffy.”

“Cool,” Jenny said. “I should probably get back to my students. Especially if these books put demons in the Internet.”

“I believe that was the only one,” Olivia said, “but you’re probably right.”

Jenny smiled again, a part of Olivia melted again, and then Jenny disappeared around the corner, and Olivia took a moment to compose herself, to give herself a mental talking-to so that she didn’t do something really stupid, like ask Jenny to chaperone the Spring Fling with her.

(Actually, she could probably get away with that, even if Jenny did know she was a lesbian. Chaperoning a dance wasn’t nearly the same as attending.)

Having composed herself, Olivia adjusted her glasses and her cardigan and emerged back into the library. Buffy wasn’t there. Olivia was sure she’d been there before; she usually stuck around to help with the scanning or distract Willow from the scanning or talk about the latest evil demon. 

Olivia moved to stand behind Willow. Willow’s browser was open to an instant message-- Olivia only saw a few words before Willow closed it and turned to face her.

“Was that Malcolm?” Olivia asked.

“Yeah,” Willow said. “I’m kind of afraid to, you know.” Her eyes darted to the computer. 

“I understand,” Olivia said. “Have you seen Buffy?”

“Yeah,” Willow said. “She left. Dave got up all quick like he had someplace to go, and Buffy thought it was suspicious and decided to follow him.”

“When?” Olivia asked.

“Just now,” Willow said. “I told her she should tell you or Ms. Calendar first, but she didn’t want to wait.”

“Oh, goodness,” Olivia said. 

“I think she’ll be back soon,” Willow said. “I don’t think Dave was really going anywhere interesting. But he was being weird yesterday, too, and I guess she saw something funny over his shoulder.”

The kid working next to Willow raised his head and looked Olivia right in the eye.

“Leave Dave alone,” he said, his voice deep and menacing.

Willow glanced at Olivia and went back to her work. Olivia retreated, but not before seeing that the screen on the kid’s computer was completely black, a cursor blinking on the edge of the frame.

Buffy came back just as everybody was packing up; she pulled Olivia to the side and said, “Something seriously suspicious is going on.”

“I agree,” Olivia said. “There’s a demon in the Internet.”

“Not what I was thinking, but I believe it,” Buffy said. 

“Yes,” Olivia agreed. “Jenny-- Ms. Calendar-- tells me that she can do a spell to stop it. She’s going to let me help, even.”

“That’s good,” Buffy said. “Huh. That doesn’t explain why Dave was going to a weird corporate warehouse.”

“It might,” Olivia said. “What was the warehouse?”

“It said CRD on it in big letters,” Buffy said. “I figure we can find out what it means tomorrow, right? I’ve got a ton of homework.”

“Yes,” Olivia said. “I suppose we can.”

“See you then.” 

Buffy grinned at Olivia and went over to where Willow was scanning her last book. Olivia watched for only a moment before she started packing her bag. As she slid the last book in, Jenny came up to her.

“Hey, I’m heading out. You want a ride?”

“Of course,” Olivia said, swinging her backpack onto her back. “It’s good to have you back.”

“You only like me for my wheels,” Jenny teased.

“I like you for all of you,” Olivia said. “Including your wheels, which are certainly useful.”

“Thank you,” Jenny said. “I do my best.”

Olivia suppressed her smile all the way home. As she was falling asleep that night, she reminded herself of all the reasons not to flirt with Jenny. They were becoming like one long litany in her head:  _ she’ll hate you you’ll get fired Buffy won’t want your help Willow will stop coming in sixth period no one will ever check out a book again _ , over and over and over until it sang her to sleep.

She woke up feeling vaguely ashamed, although she couldn’t quite put her finger on what she was ashamed of. She tried her best to shake the feeling, got dressed, and applied maybe a little more lipstick than was necessary before having her usual small breakfast and walking to school. 

The day proceeded apace; Jenny, Buffy, Willow, and Xander came in at lunch to talk about the whole Moloch thing, and Xander even knew what CRD was, so that was one step in the right direction. Jenny was going to work the spell during her free fourth period, and she said Olivia could help (since every period was free for Olivia, as much as she tried to get students to use the library), and Buffy said she’d go check out CRD later. Willow and Xander both immediately said they’d go with her, and no one argued. Olivia knew by now that Buffy worked better with her friends around, and her friends couldn’t really be dissuaded from the notion of helping her. Much like neither Olivia nor Jenny would ever hear of letting Buffy slay without copious adult-led research.

Fourth period was just after lunch, so when Willow and Buffy and Xander left, Jenny stuck around, setting up her laptop and some candles and herbs at the library table. Olivia sat across from her, feeling entirely out of place.

“What do we do?” she asked.

“First, we have to form the Circle of Kayless,” Jenny said. “Um, I think. I’m pretty clear on the theory of all this, but I haven’t exactly practiced.”

“That’s all right,” Olivia said. “There are many things in life that we are unprepared for, and I am of the mind that most of those things are surmountable.”

“Thank you,” Jenny said.

“But how are we going to make a circle with only the two of us?” Olivia asked.

“It’s not like that,” Jenny said. “The demon is inside the computer. This is what my friends are for. I reached out earlier, and I think a couple people are available now.” Her fingers flew on the keyboard. “Yeah, here, we’ve got a few.” She pushed an open book to Olivia. “Read this, and I’ll type.”

Olivia flipped the book to face her and began reading. 

“By the power of the divine,” she began, shooting an uncertain look at Jenny. Jenny nodded back to her, and, encouraged, she continued reading.

The spell was strange. Olivia sort of felt power run through her, but she felt very much like a conduit between the power and Jenny, and between the power and the computer. The power didn’t really touch her so much as run through her; it barely affected her. She was vaguely aware of the world around her shifting, a whirlwind, a noise, but it was separate from her: it all laid far away. Still, after finishing, she had to take a moment with her eyes closed, letting the power leave her. She felt somewhat drained, like the power had coursed through her and taken her energy with it.

“Whoa,” Jenny said, taking her hands off the computer. “I think that worked. He should be back in the book.”

Olivia pulled Moloch’s book closer to her and flipped it open. The pages were just as blank as they had been.

“He’s not back in the book,” she said.

Jenny went pale. 

“Then where is he?” she asked. “That definitely worked. I mean, I asked my people, and they felt it too.”

“I don’t know,” Olivia said, “but I suspect we’re lucky to have a Slayer around.”

“God, don’t I know it,” Jenny agreed. She looked down at her computer and the extinguished candles surrounding it.“I guess I should clean this up and get back to my classroom.”

“Of course,” Olivia said. “I’ll help.” 

Jenny smiled and began gathering herbs. Olivia piled the candles together, and Jenny slid them all into a bag. 

“I'll see you later,” she said, pulling the bag towards herself. 

“I'll see you,” Olivia repeated. 

Jenny left, and Olivia sank into one of the library chairs. Her head was spinning a little, and her legs were shaking, even after she sat down. For a moment, she wondered if she had some sort of genuine medical crisis, but she thought probably not; this was just exhaustion and anxiety and stress, all put together. 

Still, she sat for a moment, head in her hands. She managed a few seconds of this before a horrible realization hit her. 

The demon hadn’t returned to the book.

Moloch was still free, somewhere.

She stood up, intending to go find Jenny, but then she got a head rush and had to steady herself against the table, and then she realized it was too late because Willow ran in, yelling, “He’s after me! Help!”

Olivia didn’t have to wait to be told who “he” was. She immediately and instinctively sprang to stand between Willow and the door, as if her frail and exhausted body could do anything more than buy Willow a few painful seconds. 

There was a terrible bang as both doors slammed open at once, a hulking metallic monster swinging through with Buffy hot on its heels. The monster swung at Olivia, and she ducked, and then Buffy was between her and the demon, so she shrank back against her desk while Buffy and Moloch fought. After a few punches, Moloch threw Buffy to the side and began again in pursuit of Willow. Olivia watched, horrified, but couldn’t bring herself to move.

Fortunately, Buffy could; she scrambled to her feet and continued to chase Moloch. And meanwhile, Willow had picked up Moloch’s empty book and was using it as a shield, to a surprisingly great effect.

The demon raged and roared, but the battle soon was lost: Buffy tore open a computer and pitched Moloch into it, overloading him with electricity from the wires within. Olivia was barely watching at this point; she was focusing on slow, deep breaths and letting everything pass her by a little, not really caring what was happening as long as Moloch was gone.

She didn’t faint, but she wasn’t aware of her surroundings either until she heard footsteps running towards her and Jenny’s voice saying, “Olivia, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Olivia said, but Jenny’s hands were already on her shoulders, and when she opened her eyes, Jenny’s face was right in front of hers. 

“I don’t think I’m cut out for this demon-hunter thing,” Olivia explained.

“Are you hurt?” Jenny asked, a quiet urgency to her voice. 

Olivia shook her head.

“Good,” Jenny said, “because I’m only just getting over this head thing, and I’d hate to be lonely again.”

“Yes. This is just quite a bit much for me,” Olivia said.

“Yes,” Jenny said. Her head turned; Olivia followed her gaze to where Buffy and Willow were cheerfully beating up Moloch’s dessicated corpse. She felt Jenny’s hands slide down her arms to her hands, and then Jenny was pulling her to her feet and leading her out of the library, letting Olivia lean on her for support.

She led Olivia through the halls and to her classroom, which was blessedly empty, and then she sat Olivia down in one of the chairs.

“Are Buffy and Willow all right?” Olivia asked. 

“They seemed to be out of danger,” Jenny said, pulling up a chair to sit next to Olivia. “You just looked like you needed to be out of there.”

“I should never have left my old job,” Olivia said. “Not that I had much of a choice, I suppose. But if I were still there, maybe there would be someone here who could handle it.”

“No one is born knowing how to deal with demons,” Jenny said. “We just do our best.”

“I don’t think my best is good enough,” Olivia said, her voice almost a whisper.

“That’s okay,” Jenny said, and she reached across the gap between their two chairs to put her hand on top of Olivia’s. “For what it’s worth, I like my demon-filled life a lot better when you’re around.”

Olivia managed a small smile.

“I quite enjoy your company as well,” she said.

Jenny smiled back, her hand resting solidly over Olivia’s. Olivia wanted to pull away, but her fear of being close to Jenny wasn’t anything to match the overwhelming safety she felt with Jenny, so she flipped her hand over and let her fingers lace with Jenny’s. She saw Jenny’s eyes widen in surprise.

“I feel very safe with you,” Olivia said. Her voice was very small.

“I’m glad,” Jenny said. She was still looking at Olivia’s face like she was looking for something, and Olivia looked back, hoping that Jenny would find whatever it was. 

Olivia started to open her mouth, to say something, although she didn’t know what, and then she didn’t get the chance to, because in that split second, Jenny’s gaze flickered downwards, towards Olivia’s lips, and it was only for a moment, but in that moment all of Olivia’s thoughts left her, and she let her eyes fall closed, and she hadn’t felt this way in years now.

Jenny’s lips met hers softly, and even though they were only connected at two points, Olivia felt that connection in her whole body. For a moment, she let herself forget that she was in a public place.

In the next moment, she heard the door open in the background, and she remembered. A number of confusing emotions flooded into her, and she moved herself back so fast that she almost fell out of her chair. Looking towards the door, she saw Willow, standing in the doorway with wide eyes. 


	6. Puppet Show

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to combine Puppet Show and Nightmares, but then my filler in between the two took over and I realized that this was a chapter in its own right (and Nightmares is looking to be somewhat eventful as well.)

Olivia didn’t stick around. While Willow started stammering in a high, anxious voice-- “I’m sorry, I mean, I just wanted to talk to Ms. Calendar, and class is starting soon--” Olivia pulled back so fast she almost fell out of her chair, and then she stood up and walked out as fast as she could without doing something really embarrassing, like tripping and falling flat on her face right in front of Jenny, or letting the panic that she was feeling show on her face. 

She went back to the library, which had been emptied of Moloch’s metallic carcass, and set about cleaning up from the fight. There were books to reshelve and tables to rearrange, which filled Olivia’s brain with welcome distractions. There was something deeply satisfying about shelving books, even when the shelves themselves had caved in on themselves; each book slid into its place, and Olivia’s mind found peace in that. 

She didn’t stick around after school. Before school was even technically over, she gathered up her possessions and walked home, unwilling to face either Willow or Jenny. Willow hadn’t come in for sixth period, either, which Olivia could only assume was a result of disgust or shock. 

She felt small, somehow. She never walked home in daylight, when all of the students were still around; mixing in the crowd, Olivia felt like one of them, folded in on herself, not quite sure how to use her body, caught up in girl drama (although in high school it had actually been boy drama, part of a misguided attempt at normalcy).

That night was miserable. Olivia kept thinking about the kiss, how perfect it had been, the warmth of Jenny’s breath on her mouth, then the way the door had opened and they had been discovered, and the way Olivia had ruined her life in Sunnydale the same way she had ruined her life before. All it took was a kiss.

Still, she dragged herself to school the next day, on the off chance that she would still be welcome there. Fortunately for her, everyone’s minds seemed to be occupied different news: there was a new principal, and he was making it very clear that he wasn’t going to be as nice as the last one. 

“Welcome to the new Sunnydale High,” he said at the morning faculty meeting. “My name is Principal Olaf, and I’m here to make one thing clear. There will be no more touchy-feely nonsense. No more supporting kids’ emotions. We are an institution, and we are here to churn out semi-competent adults, cut as many budgets as possible, and nothing else. Understood?”

Olivia, who had come uncharacteristically late so that she could sit in the back, looked around. No one seemed to be particularly happy with these developments, least of all Jenny, whose hand was waving in the air.

“Excuse me,” she said, “but I find that emotional support actually helps kids to become more competent adults.”

“Do you have a question, Ms…”

“Calendar,” Jenny said, “and I think my point stands unattached to a question.”

Even in her misery, Olivia couldn’t help but think Jenny was beautiful in her anger.

“Are you in charge?” the principal asked.

“Of what goes on in my classes, yes,” Jenny said.

“No,” the principal said. “Everything at this school goes through me. And we are putting a crackdown on all enjoyable classroom activities. If you want fun, perhaps you would be willing to run the after school talent show.”

“Oh, that’s all right,” Jenny said. 

“That was not a request,” the principal interrupted. “Perhaps you need some help. Let’s see. Ms. Caliban, is it?”

Olivia looked up.

“What?”

“You’re the librarian, correct? I’ve always hated libraries. Too many dusty old books.”

“I think you’ll find mine to be quite useful,” Olivia said.

“You need to get out more,” the principal said. “Interact with the kids. You can run the talent show with Ms. Calendar.”

“Oh, I--” Olivia began, confused.

“No protests. You’ll do it. Someone’s got to, after all. Just make sure you have room for my grand finale.” 

The principal smiled, showing all of his teeth.

“Meeting dismissed.”

Olivia got up, meaning to leave before Jenny could talk to her. She had no such luck. She got stuck behind a couple teachers who were talking to each other, and so by the time she was finally filing out of the room, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see Jenny, looking up at her with nothing more than professionalism in her eyes.

“We should meet,” she said. “About the talent show.”

“I suppose so,” Olivia said.

“Maybe we can hold auditions next Friday?” Jenny asked.

“Sounds good.”

“Don’t look so scared,” Jenny said. “It’s just the talent show, I promise.”

“No,” Olivia said. “I mean, I’m not-- it’s okay.”

“I don’t have time now,” Jenny said, “but I get it. I obviously misinterpreted things. Stick around after school and we can talk talent show, okay?”

Olivia didn’t know how to respond. Instead, she didn’t-- she said nothing, and Jenny neatly sidestepped her and walked out the door. Olivia stood for a moment, lost, until the new principal shoved her and said, “Hey, move it.”

She stood still for another moment, mostly to make him mad, and then started her walk to the library, lost in her thoughts.

The day was a lot slower without Jenny stopping in all the time, it turned out. Olivia shelved books, as usual, and cleaned up more from the whole Moloch thing. Over the course of the day, she managed to convince herself that she was better off without Jenny, somehow-- she was safer.

Today, Willow did come in during sixth period, just like usual, with Buffy in tow. She didn’t act like anything was wrong, so Olivia allowed herself to dare hope that nothing was.

Still, she was on edge throughout the block, and she mostly lurked in the stacks until she heard Willow’s voice from behind her saying, “Ms. Caliban?”

Olivia turned around. 

“Yes?”

“I just wanted you to know,” Willow said, “I didn’t-- I didn’t tell anyone about you and Ms. Calendar.”

“There’s not much to tell,” Olivia said. 

“I don’t know,” Willow said. “I didn’t-- I guess I didn’t really realize that kissing another girl was possible. You know. For a girl.”

“Anything is possible, Willow,” Olivia said, but she knew she just sounded tired.

“Yeah,” Willow said. “I guess so.”

There was a kind of hope on her face, barely there, that Olivia recognized from her own teenage years. She didn’t know what to do with that information, but she filed it away in the back of her mind. 

“Anyway,” Olivia said. “Thank you.”

“No problem.” Willow paused, clearly trying to decide what to say next. “Are you guys, like, girlfriends?”

“No,” Olivia said. “We only kissed the once.”

“Oh,” Willow said. “Well, I think you’d be good together.”

“Me, too,” Olivia said, half to herself. 

“Well, then, why don’t you kiss her again?” Willow asked.

“I lost my last job for being a lesbian,” Olivia said. “To be honest, when you walked in on us, I thought I was going to lose this one. There’s too much risk.”

“Not if you’re careful,” Willow said. “If Buffy can hide vampires from a town full of them, you can probably hide this.”

“Maybe,” Olivia said, unconvinced. 

Willow teetered back and forth for a moment, and then she stepped forward and hugged Olivia. Surprised, Olivia hugged Willow back, hesitantly stroking Willow’s hair. The hug was exactly what she needed, somehow, and she suspected it was what Willow needed as well. 

After a few moments, Willow broke away, and Olivia smiled. 

“I’ll think about what you said,” she told Willow. “Now go do your work. I’m sure Buffy’s waiting for you.”

Willow gave Olivia another quick smile and scurried away, leaving Olivia with an overwhelming sense of relief. 

Jenny was there fifteen minutes later, and Olivia emerged from the stacks to meet her. As she ushered Jenny into her office ( _ just _ to discuss the talent show), she saw Willow wink at her from behind Jenny. She smiled a little, and Jenny smiled back, and Olivia’s heart soared.

She had meant to keep things all business, but the minute the door closed, she said, “You didn’t misinterpret things. Yesterday, I mean.”

“Really?” Jenny asked, sounding almost disinterested.

“Yes,” Olivia said, suddenly uncertain. 

“Why didn’t you stay after school?” Jenny asked.

“Because I’m afraid,” Olivia said, honestly. “I don’t want to lose what I have in Sunnydale. Which includes your friendship, by the way, so I hope we can at least be civil to each other.”

“I think I can keep it civil,” Jenny said. “Do things have to stay PG?”

“For now,” Olivia said. “I can’t-- I can’t go fast right now.”

“Because you’re afraid?” Jenny asked.

“And ashamed,” Olivia said, her voice soft.

“Yeah,” Jenny said. “I’ve been there. I try not to waste my time on it these days.”

“I don’t think I have a choice,” Olivia said. 

“Well, let me know when you do,” Jenny said. “But we really should talk about this talent show.”

They set a date for the show and auditions, and managed a whole lot of forced small talk besides, and then emerged to see Jenny’s students hanging around, waiting for Jenny to start the scanning.

“We imposed a new system yesterday,” Jenny said offhandedly to Olivia. “I have to inspect all the books now. To make sure they don’t have demons in them.”

“Seems wise,” Olivia said, ignoring that Willow was looking at her with wide, inquisitive eyes. “If you need help, of course, let me know.”

“I will,” Jenny said. 

And so their regular routine resumed, now with talent show. They held auditions and came away with a few good acts, and then Principal Olaf forced Buffy, Willow, and Xander into it, and then, because a Sunnydale routine wouldn’t be complete without a monster to mess it up, one of their performers was brutally murdered in the locker room. 

“So what do we do now?” Olivia asked, eating lunch in the library with Jenny the day after. “Do we cancel the show?”

“We can’t,” Jenny said. They had resumed the pretense of friendship, but Olivia had noticed it was different-- for one thing, she often walked home before sunset these days, and for another, most of her conversations with Jenny were about the talent show. And related deaths. “We have to keep going.”

“Why?” Olivia asked.

“Olaf’s already on my back,” Jenny said. “He seems dedicated to defund… well, the concept of education, now that I think about it. I’m not about to give him more excuses. And if a demon’s going around killing kids, it’s not going to stop just because we cancelled the talent show.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Olivia said. “Although maybe it’s trying to stop that travesty from ever being performed, in which case it might be doing the school a favor. Not to trivialize the tragedy that has occurred.”

“I think humor helps, sometimes,” Jenny said. “We deal with quite a lot of tragedy.”

“Unfortunately.” Olivia sighed. “I suppose we had better continue on, then.”

“Unfortunately,” Jenny agreed.

And continue on they did, now with more meetings with Buffy, Xander, and Willow, as well as a lot more fear. Olivia didn’t feel safe walking the halls, even, knowing that one of the talent show participants was probably a murderer.

Buffy and Xander and Willow set up an interview scheme, which Olivia witnessed from afar. She would never have the courage to interrogate people like that, even when she technically did have the power to do so, as she did with students.  They didn’t come up with much, though, and Buffy was blaming the dummy. 

Until the dummy turned out to be a former demon hunter in a wooden body, and the demon turned out to be in the talent show, and Olivia couldn’t figure out who it was until she was lying on Marc the magician’s table, waiting for a blade to descend on her scalp.

Fortunately, Buffy was just in time, running in and incapacitating Marc, Willow, Xander, and Jenny hot on her heels. Xander held the guillotine’s rope, and Jenny untied Olivia, who was trying to ignore the panic in Jenny’s eyes.

The curtain went up just as Olivia managed to crawl out from the guillotine, which meant she was staring out at a thoroughly bewildered audience. Jenny, however, was taking a bow, so Olivia followed suit.

“You’ve just seen the opening tableau of the Sunnydale High Talent Show,” Jenny announced to the audience. “We’d also like to announce a change to the program; Marc the magician will no longer be able to perform due to, uh, unsafe guillotine conditions, and Morgan’s ventriloquism act will unfortunately be cut due to the unfortunate loss of his dummy.”

“Enjoy the show,” Olivia added, although her voice was more of a squeak. She followed Jenny offstage.

The minute they were offstage and safely out of sight, tucked away in a corner of the theater, Jenny took hold of Olivia, running her hands up and down Olivia’s arms.

“I thought you were going to die,” she whispered.

“I thought so too, for a moment,” Olivia said, shifting uncomfortably. “I’m glad I didn’t.”

“Me, too,” Jenny said. “Olivia, I can’t put pressure on you, but you’re very important to me, which I try to make a point of not admitting to people, and we could die at any moment, and, God, I’m terrified of commitment, but it’s a bit late for that, and can we please just kiss?”

“I’m sorry, Jenny,” Olivia said, “but I just went through a near-death experience and this is all a bit much for me right now.”

Jenny released her hold on Olivia. 

“I know,” she said. “God. I’m sorry.”

“But I miss the way our friendship was,” Olivia said, having immediately regretted her words,  “and I don’t believe we’re likely to regain that anytime soon, so I suppose I extend my permission for, well, kissing.”

A slow grin slid onto Jenny’s face.

“You kiss me first, then,” she said. “If you’re really up for it.”

Olivia felt herself smiling at this new kind of teasing. She put a hand on Jenny’s waist, and she felt Jenny raise herself onto her tiptoes, her hair falling away from her face as she looked up at Olivia. 

“I think I’m up for it,” Olivia said, and in that moment, she realized it was true. She had almost died. Did she really want to miss this opportunity when there was a chance she wouldn’t even live long enough to get fired?

She didn’t, and so she leaned down and let her lips brush against Jenny’s. At the contact, something welled up in her-- she thought it was happiness, but it was hard to tell, sometimes. But whatever it was, it was good, especially after the weeks of fear she had just had, so she pulled Jenny closer by the waist and kissed her again, feeling the way Jenny’s hands grabbed at her back, their bodies pressed completely against each other, fitting together in a way Olivia had never dreamed possible. 

After a few moments, she pulled back, knowing there was a silly smile on her face.

“As happy as I am to be here with you, dear,” she said, “we do have a talent show to run.”

Jenny beamed up at her.

“You called me dear,” she said, pressing one more kiss to Olivia’s cheek. 

The talent show went swimmingly, and afterwards, Jenny drove Olivia home for the first time in a month. 

Everything, in a sense, had been more or less perfect. Except for one performance:

“Did you  _ see _ that?” Xander asked the next day, when everyone was gathered in the library at lunch. “It was the worst moment of my life.”

“ _ Your _ life?” Willow asked, incredulous. “Did  _ you _ have to leave the stage?”

“I’m over it,” Buffy said.

“ _ Did _ you see that?” Xander asked, directing the question to Jenny and Olivia, who were definitely  _ not _ holding hands under the table. 

“We had official duties as-- talent show sponsors-- that we had to attend to,” Olivia said, glancing at Jenny.

“Yes,” Jenny said. “Very official. There was lots to do backstage.”

She said it with just enough innuendo for Olivia and no one else to pick up on, and Olivia looked down to hide her blush, but then she just saw their hands, linked under the table, and blushed even more. She glanced around the table. Buffy and Xander didn’t seem to have noticed anything, but she could have sworn Willow caught her eye. So that was a conversation she’d be having later. 

“Well, I’m glad it’s over,” Buffy said. “I’ve got too much evil to deal with already without a talent show added into the mix.”

“Especially an evil talent show,” Willow added.

“There’s not new evil, is there?” Xander asked. “Because I’ve filled my quota for the month.”

“Just the same old vampires,” Buffy said. “I hope that doesn’t mess up your quota.”

“No, the quota accounts for those,” Xander said. “It’s just the giant robot demons and talent show decapitations that I don’t have time for.”

“I think we’re pretty much done scanning your collection, too,” Jenny said. “We’ll be in tonight and maybe tomorrow, but there’s not much left.”

“That’s good news,” Olivia said. “Are you going to teach me how to use what you’ve scanned?”

“Yeah, I’ll set up a tutorial,” Jenny said. “And, you know, I’ll be around. It’s a public space, after all.”

“We should have a party,” Buffy said. “When you guys finish the scanning. I mean, you’ve been doing it  _ forever _ . I think it merits celebration.”

“Sure,” Jenny said. “Hey, Olivia, can I use your library for a huge post-scanning bash?”

“I would prefer things not get out of hand,” Olivia said, “but I suspect that ‘huge’ actually refers to these three and your students, which could be quite an enjoyable occasion.”

“Cool,” Jenny said. “I’ll bring a cake. Any allergies? Flavors people hate?”

“I’ll eat anything as long as it’s not a  _ demon  _ cake,” Buffy said.

“I can swing that,” Jenny said. “Cool.” She glanced at the clock on the wall. “Lunch is over, I have a class to teach, and you all have classes to take, so I’ll see you later.”

As she stood up, her hand slid out of Olivia’s, leaving a curious emptiness. The others followed Jenny out, and Olivia returned to her librarian duties, thinking about the prospect of an end-of-scanning party. 

Willow was there two hours later, right on schedule. She didn’t have Buffy with her today-- Buffy had apparently decided to use the time to work out in the school gym.

“Which is cool,” Willow added, her arms folded over her chest as she explained this to Olivia, standing alone in the middle of the library. “She’s allowed to do that. I’m fine on my own.”

“Of course,” Olivia said from behind her desk.  “Although there is a difference between just being fine and having a good time.”

“Yeah,” Willow said. “I guess that’s true. But she’s the Slayer and everything. She has to keep herself strong.” 

Willow paused, and the conspirational smile that appeared on her face made Olivia absolutely certain of what she was going to say next. 

“Besides,” Willow continued, “this way I can ask you about what happened with Ms. Calendar at the talent show.”

“I never said anything happened,” Olivia said, adjusting her glasses. 

“Like you weren’t totally holding hands under the table just now,” Willow said. “Don’t worry; I don't think the others saw.”

“I hardly think it’s appropriate to discuss my romantic life with a student,” Olivia tried.

“Ha! You said romantic! I was right!” 

Olivia sighed. 

“Have you been interrogating Ms. Calendar like this?” she asked.

“I haven’t gotten the chance yet,” Willow admitted. “There are, like, twenty other people in my class with her. But I can’t gossip with Buffy, because it’s a whole big secret, so I  _ have _ to ask you.”

“Do you normally dissect your teachers’ love lives?” Olivia asked, but she felt a smile at the edges of her mouth.

“Only the really nice ones who fight evil with Buffy,” Willow said. “And who I caught kissing, like, a month ago and who took this long to start holding hands under the table during meetings!” She shrugged. “Anyway, I don’t have any homework to do, so I was wondering if you needed any help with the books or anything.”

“I’m not sure,” Olivia said. “If I’m being honest, there’s barely anything around here for me to do. Thank goodness Jenny’s scanning the collection, because otherwise there wouldn’t ever even be anything to reshelve.”

“Well, I’ll hang out around here anyway,” Willow said. “I don’t have much else to do.”

“Oh!” Olivia exclaimed. “I could help you find the Latin books, if you like.”

A grin lit up Willow’s face. 

“Yes!” she said. “I do like!”

Olivia felt a rush of-- sisterly? Maternal? --some kind of familial affection for Willow, who had fought so much evil and just kept fighting, and who spent her time learning Latin with the school librarian when she didn’t have homework. 

“Come with me,” she said. “The books aren’t with the demon ones, or even the magic ones. Traditionally, high schoolers use Latin to read ancient speeches or philosophical texts from the Renaissance.”

“Imagine that,” Willow said. “High school without demons.”

“Some of us did experience it,” Olivia said. She began leading Willow up the steps to the back of the library. “Although I technically went to three different high schools, when all was said and done.”

“Why?” Willow asked.

“My parents died when I was thirteen,” Olivia said. “So I went to a few foster homes before an aunt was able to adopt me.”

She remembered, now, her aunt visiting her in that first foster home, crying with her over her parents, saying that she just needed to get the money together and then she’d be able to adopt Olivia.

She wasn’t in contact with her aunt anymore.

“I’m sorry,” Willow said. “That sounds really rough.”

“It was,” Olivia said. “And I got through it, but I think every day about the fact that my parents didn’t. But it was demon-free, at any rate.”

“That’s good,” Willow said. 

Olivia stopped next to the shelf with the language books. 

“They should be around here,” she said. “You should probably start with a beginner textbook. I’ll help you, of course.”

“Oh! Do you think maybe I could make it an independent study next year?” Willow asked. “And I could learn it properly, and then read ancient texts with you and Ms. Calendar?”

“We could probably arrange that,” Olivia said. She found the book she was looking for on the shelf and pulled it out. “Here, this should be a good start.”

Willow took it, immediately flipping through the pages.

“Ooh, I don’t even know what half of the English means,” she said.

“The book will explain,” Olivia said. “Don’t worry. It gets pretty grammatically dense, but I actually find that to be enjoyable, and I think you might as well.”

“I think so, too,” Willow said, closing the book. “Thanks.”

“I’ll check it out to you,” Olivia said, leading Willow out of the stacks, “and if you ever need help or anything, let me know.”

“I will,” Willow said. “I’m just going to work in here, anyway. It’ll be like an extra class, only with just me, instead of whole bunch of people.”

“I always prefer to learn with others,” Olivia said, “although only when the others are as eager as I am to learn.”

“No one here is eager to learn,” Willow said. “Maybe a couple of the other science kids, but they don’t always want a girl hanging out with them.”

“They’re missing out,” Olivia said. She was at her desk, and she moved behind it and held out her hand for the book. Willow passed it over. “Girls are quite nice, when you give them half a chance.”

“Well, of course  _ you _ think so,” Willow said. “These are high school boys.”

“Who should let you learn with them,” Olivia finished. She typed the book into the brand new computer system that Jenny had set up for her and handed it back to Willow. 

“Thanks,” Willow said again. She took the book back to the table and immediately started working, and Olivia opened a book of her own, realizing that there was very little work left to be done in the library that day. 

When Jenny came in that afternoon, she wasted no time in walking up to Olivia and saying, “Let’s talk in your office.” 

Olivia, confused, followed Jenny into her office and closed the door behind them, at which point Jenny turned around and kissed her, quickly.

“That’s all I wanted to talk about,” she said.

“This is hardly appropriate conduct for the workplace,” Olivia said.

“Do you have to use so many big words when I’m trying to seduce you?” Jenny asked.

“I’ve already been seduced,” Olivia said. “I can use whatever words I want.”

“Whatever,” Jenny said. She leaned up and kissed Olivia again, slow and sweet this time.

“Willow knows about us,” Olivia said, almost without thinking. 

“Yeah,” Jenny said. “She’s a sweet kid.”

“I think I’m glad she knows,” Olivia agreed. “I was afraid of people finding out, but someone should know.”

“Hey,” Jenny said, “we should do a date.”

Olivia felt a smile at the edges of her lips. 

“A date?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Jenny said. “Get all dressed up, go somewhere fun, I don’t know. I bet you look good in formalwear.”

“I’m not sure I own formalwear,” Olivia said, honestly. She really only had enough clothes to get through a school week, and she  _ had  _ expanded her wardrobe to include clothes for accompanying Buffy on patrol, but not to include anything formal, which really did seem an oversight.

“I guess you look good anyway,” Jenny said. “But I’m serious about the date.”

“I was serious about not owning formalwear,” Olivia said. “But I’m sure I can come up with something.”

“Cool,” Jenny said. “Or we can do casual. How do you feel about zoos?”

“As long as there are no hyenas,” Olivia said.

“I think we’re in agreement there,” Jenny said. 

“You should get back to your students,” Olivia said.

“What if I’d rather be here?” Jenny asked. 

Looking into Jenny’s warm brown eyes, Olivia felt a warm happiness in her stomach.

“There’ll be time after,” she said. “After all, it’s customary to drive a lady home after scanning books in her library all afternoon.”

“And to think I call myself a rebel,” Jenny said. 

“Do you?” Olivia asked.

“Well, I used to,” Jenny said. “And then I got a crush on this girl who talks about what’s  _ customary _ .”

“I do also fight demons,” Olivia said.

“I’ll admit you’re not completely boring,” Jenny said. She glanced at the door. “I really should get back out there.”

As Olivia followed Jenny out of the office, she saw Willow at a computer, wiggling her eyebrows in Olivia’s and Jenny’s direction. Olivia tried to glare back, but she knew it showed on her face as a smile. 

(And Jenny did, indeed, drive Olivia home, and if Olivia invited her in for a cup of tea, and if that cup of tea turned into a quiet cuddle on Olivia’s couch, well, that was no one’s business but their own.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what y'all think of replacing Snyder with Olaf... I want to include more ASOUE characters later on and this is one way that I can do that!


	7. Nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fittingly, a lot of this was written in the middle of the night. It's long because I guess I really had to dive into everyone's deepest fears. TW for homophobia.

The next day was Hellmouth as usual. Buffy came into the library halfway through third period saying something about spiders, and Olivia launched herself into research. Buffy said she’d enlist Willow and Xander to ask around about what had happened, so Olivia fell into her usual (and preferred) job of reading whatever she could find. There were any number of spider demons, it turned out, but none of them quite felt right.

Jenny came by at lunch, having heard from Willow about the spiders. She and Olivia were engrossed in research when Buffy came in halfway through, Willow and Xander trailing behind, and exclaimed, “It was a dream! Wendell dreamed it. With the spiders.”

“Well, I’ve been looking down all the wrong roads,” Olivia said, closing her book. “I’m going to have to pick out completely new books.”

“I think we can get through this,” Jenny said drily.

“Speak for yourself,” Olivia said. “You just have to type some new words into your-- search engine. Is ‘search engine’ the correct term?”

“Yes,” Jenny said, “and I wish you luck finding new books.”

“I’ll manage,” Olivia said. “Can you tell us more about what Wendell said?”

Buffy explained Wendell’s dream, and Olivia immediately went to get relevant books off the shelves. She was glad, now, of the lonely days she had used at the beginning of the year to learn the collection; it made research like this only that much easier. Willow, Buffy, and Xander all took seats at the table, taking out their lunches and chattering as usual. Olivia brought her books back to the table and sat next to Jenny, peeking over her shoulder at the computer screen.

“How’s the Internet?” she asked.

“It’s all right,” Jenny said. “I’ve already found at least eight specific things that could be happening.”

“Do tell,” Olivia said.

“I want to narrow it down first,” Jenny said, her eyes on the screen. 

“Fair enough,” Olivia said. She flipped her book open. Looking up at the kids, she said, “I’m sorry not to be better conversation.”

“That’s okay,” Buffy said. “We make our own fun.”

“If we wanted conversation, we’d eat in the cafeteria with the other kids,” Xander said.

“He’s right,” Willow said. She had already taken a book and begun reading. 

Lunch, then the afternoon passed, and still Olivia had nothing to show for it, as far as research went. She was looking at a nebulous topic, though; she suspected she wasn’t going to find much on this one. 

She researched alone for most of the afternoon. Jenny came in once, more to flirt than for anything productive, but Willow and Buffy weren’t there sixth period, and then Jenny and her students were flooding in for the last day of scanning.

“Aren’t you glad you’ll be rid of us?” Jenny asked, grinning at Olivia from the other side of the room.

“On the contrary,” Olivia said. “I believe I’ll miss having others in the library. You know, there are very few people who use this space on a daily basis.”

“I use it,” Willow said, already sitting behind a computer.

“Yes,” Olivia said. “You and Buffy are the only ones.”

“Xander would if he ever read anything,” Buffy added. She was leaning against the wall by Olivia’s desk, Xander behind her.

“Hey!” Xander exclaimed. “I read things all the time.”

“Sure you do,” Willow said. “I’ve seen your comic book collection.”

“It counts,” Xander said.

Three hours later, the scanning had been completed, Jenny’s students had cheered and walked out, chattering to each other, and Willow, Buffy, and Xander had waved goodbye and left, a little more subdued, and it was just Jenny and Olivia, like always.

Jenny reached out and took Olivia’s hand.

“Drive you home?” she asked.

“Thank you,” Olivia said.

They dropped each others’ hands as they walked through the library doors. 

When Jenny’s car rolled up to Olivia’s house, there was a silent moment.

“Good night,” Jenny said.

“Good night,” Olivia returned. She opened the door of the car and started to get out, but then Jenny said, “Wait.”

“What?” Olivia asked.

Jenny was looking in the rear view mirror.

“Behind us.”

Olivia looked back and saw a figure standing behind the car. Under the mask of night, she couldn’t quite work out who it was, but Jenny’s voice had shaken with fear. Olivia got back in the car.

“What is it?” she asked.

“I’m not sure,” Jenny said. “I think a vampire.”

“Come inside with me,” Olivia said. “Quickly.”

“Okay,” Jenny said. She opened the door to the car. 

Olivia got out, keeping an eye on Jenny as she did so. Jenny walked around the car to her, and they both started walking at a brisk pace towards Olivia’s door. 

The figure behind them came closer. Jenny and Olivia walked faster. 

The figure came closer. Jenny and Olivia broke into a run. Olivia fumbled for her keys. She almost dropped them, but she caught herself and managed to jam the house key into the keyhole just in time. She looked behind her. She could almost see the figure’s face. She turned the key and pushed the door open, and she and Jenny tumbled inside, barely bothering to pull the key out of the door.

“Who is it?” Olivia asked. “Did you see?”

“Angelus,” Jenny said. She was sitting on the floor where she had fallen, her face as white as a sheet. “Evil Angel. This-- this one’s my nightmare.”

“He can’t come in, can he?” Olivia asked. “If I don’t invite him?”

“He can’t,” Jenny said. “In the nightmare, I invite him.”

“But you can’t if it’s not your house,” Olivia said. 

“I can’t,” Jenny agreed.

“I won’t invite him in,” Olivia said. “Come into the kitchen. I’ll make tea.”

“Thanks,” Jenny said.

There was a banging noise on the door.

“That’s him,” Jenny said, her voice barely more than a squeak.

“Come on,” Olivia said. She took Jenny’s hand and squeezed it, trying to be at least somewhat reassuring. “We won’t hear it if we go into the kitchen.”

Jenny let Olivia pull her up and into the kitchen, where she sat at Olivia’s table, knees pulled up to her chest. Her hair was falling in her eyes, and Olivia took a moment to gently push it back before moving to the stove to fuss with her tea kettle.  

Ten minutes later, Olivia was sitting across from Jenny at the little square table, mugs in front of each of them. Jenny had unfolded a little bit, but her face was still pale, and she was definitely jumpier than usual.

“Is he still there?” she asked. “The dream never gets this far.”

“I don’t know,” Olivia said. “I can check.”

“No,” Jenny said. “Stay here.”

“Okay,” Olivia siad. She picked up her mug and took a sip. The hot tea was a familiar sensation, which she realized she had so badly needed. Her hands were shaking. 

“I’m sorry,” Jenny said. “I think-- I think I brought him to you.”

“That’s all right,” Olivia said. “I hope we can get to the bottom of this nightmare problem soon. I can imagine it will start to get complicated.” She paused. “Do you want dinner? I’m sure I have some pasta around here somewhere.”

“That would be amazing,” Jenny said. “Thank you for being so nice about this. You really didn’t have to let me come in.”

“I wasn’t about to leave my girlfriend to the vampires,” Olivia said.

“Am I your girlfriend?” Jenny asked, looking up and into Olivia’s eyes for the first time since entering the kitchen. 

“If you want to be,” Olivia said, suddenly flustered. “I’m sorry, I don’t have another word for when you start kissing your coworker and close friend backstage at the school talent show and then hold hands under the table when it’s really an inconvenient time for it.”

“I guess I don’t either,” Jenny said, smiling. “Cool. Girlfriend. I like it.”

Olivia reached across the table to take Jenny’s hand, lacing their fingers together. 

They sat there for a moment, in the relief of not having been killed, and the warmth of knowing exactly who they were to each other. 

“I’m going to make dinner,” Olivia said. She brought Jenny’s hand to her lips and kissed it, then let go. Standing, she moved around the kitchen counter and started getting out pans.

Jenny followed.

“Can I help?” she asked.

“If you’d like,” Olivia said, “but you have no obligation.”

“No, I want to,” Jenny said. “I like to be busy.”

“Well,” Olivia said, “perhaps you would like to start with the pasta, and I’ll see if I have anything that resembles sauce. Do you have any dietary restrictions?”

“Not really,” Jenny said. “Don’t put mushrooms in.”

“Are you allergic?”

“I just think they’re gross.”

“Fair enough.” 

Olivia opened the fridge. She didn’t have any sauce (or mushrooms, for that matter), but she had an open can of beans and some parmesan, and she figured that between that, olive oil, and spices, she could make some kind of meal. It didn’t seem the kind of night for an elaborate dinner, anyway.

As Jenny oversaw the pasta, Olivia got out two bowls and two forks and assembled the rest of the meal. Her kitchen was almost too small for two people at once, which managed to be kind of nice when the other person was Jenny. 

“Do you think he’s gone?” Olivia asked as they sat down at the table again.

“I don’t know,” Jenny said. “I just hope Angel’s back in his own body.”

“It might be his nightmare too,” Olivia said.

“God, it probably is,” Jenny said. “Two for the price of one. We have to figure out what’s causing this.”

“We really do,” Olivia agreed, thinking about her own nightmares, and how much she didn’t want them to come true. “Although I’m not sure either of us are really equipped for that right now. It seems like it might involve a certain amount of fieldwork, none of which we should do after dark, and I didn’t bring my books home with me, and I still don’t have a computer.”

“You’re right,” Jenny said. “Not much we can do. I’m sure Buffy’s on patrol.”

“You’re welcome to stay here overnight if you’d like,” Olivia said. “Nightmares are coming alive; I don’t believe that this is a time to be alone.”

“Thanks,” Jenny said. “I’m not sure I could have gone home.”

“And who’s to say what would have happened once you got there?” Olivia added. “I will also say that you’re always welcome here if you feel that you need the companionship.”

“Thank you,” Jenny said. 

“Furthermore,” Olivia said, “you can certainly borrow my pajamas if you like, although they are not remotely your style, and I’m happy to sleep on the couch if need be.”

“You said it yourself,” Jenny said. “Nightmares are coming alive. It’s not a time to be alone.”

“I did say that,” Olivia said. “I’m just not sure I want you to see my nightmares.”

“It’s your choice,” Jenny said. “I’m not going to push you to do anything you’re not comfortable with.” 

“I know,” Olivia said. “I suppose if my nightmares come alive, you’ll find out about it one way or another.”

“Yeah,” Jenny said. “I’m sorry. This isn’t how I would have chosen to share my fears, either.”

“Thank you for being vulnerable,” Olivia said. “Even if it wasn’t by choice.”

Jenny looked down at her food. 

“I didn’t mean to get you involved,” she said.

“If I hadn’t been involved, you could have died,” Olivia said, “or at best been made to suffer alone.”

“I’m glad that didn’t happen,” Jenny agreed.

Olivia got through the rest of the evening by trying not to think about what would happen if she went to sleep; she and Jenny finished dinner and had a good time trying to find pajamas that Jenny would be caught dead in, and then they sat awkwardly on the edge of Olivia’s bed, uncertain.

Olivia checked her watch. 

“It’s much earlier than I usually go to bed,” Olivia said, almost apologetically. 

“I’m not big on sleeping right now, either,” Jenny agreed. “Got any board games?”

“I might have a deck of cards,” Olivia said. “I mostly use them for divination. I don’t really have a lot of people to play with.”

“I like cards,” Jenny said. “Although the only game I ever got good at was Go Fish.”

“That just means it’ll be easier for me to beat you,” Olivia said, smiling. 

“What do people usually do at sleepovers?” Jenny asked. “I guess it’s too early for a midnight snack. We could talk about boys.”

“I’m not sure this qualifies as a sleepover,” Olivia said. “For example, we aren’t sleeping on the floor in sleeping bags, not to mention that I would  _ never  _ talk about boys.”

“Of course not,” Jenny said. “I’m sorry to even imply that you might.”

Olivia smiled. 

“I think I can forgive you,” she said. “But perhaps I should hunt down those cards.”

“I’ll be here,” Jenny said.

Olivia found the cards easily, and she went back into her room to find Jenny lying on her back across the bed, looking up at the ceiling.

“Are you all right?” Olivia asked.

“Fine,” Jenny said. She sat up. “Let’s play.”

They did a few rounds of Go Fish, sitting cross-legged across from each other on Olivia’s bed, and then when that got old, Olivia taught Jenny a few games that involved a little more mental effort.

Finally, Olivia had exhausted her knowledge of card games, and Jenny couldn’t suppress her yawns. 

“We should sleep,” Olivia said, gathering up the cards. She slid them back into their box and leaned over to put them on her nightstand and turn on the lamp. “Is there anything you need first?”

“I don’t think so,” Jenny said. She was fiddling with one of the buttons on her pajama shirt. 

“Is it all right if I turn the light off?” Olivia asked. “I’ll leave the lamp on for now, of course, but I don’t want to startle you with darkness.”

“It’s fine,” Jenny said. She scooted to the head of the bed and slid under the covers.

“All right,” Olivia said. She walked to the door and flicked the lights off. The lamp gave off a warm glow-- it made Jenny, sitting up in bed, watching Olivia, look softer than usual. It thre Olivia off guard. 

“You’re quite beautiful,” she said, her voice soft. 

“Oh, yeah?” Jenny replied.

“Yes,” Olivia said. She got into bed next to Jenny. “Is it all right if I turn the lamp off? I can never sleep when there’s light.”

“Sure,” Jenny said. “But if it’s the middle of the night and your nightmares are coming alive, you’d better turn it on.”

“I’ll be sure to,” Olivia said. She reached over and turned off the lamp. The room went dark. Olivia settled in under the covers, facing Jenny. She felt something brush up against her hand; realizing it was Jenny’s hand, she took it.

She didn’t mean to fall asleep so fast. Really, she didn’t mean to fall asleep at all. She meant to just lie awake, listening to Jenny breathe, enjoying the pressure of Jenny’s hand on hers, because she didn’t need real nightmares on top of the nightmares-come-to-life that everyone was already dealing with. But she was tired, and so she fell asleep long before Jenny’s breaths had evened out. 

When she woke up, it was still dark out, and she opened her eyes to see the shadows of Jenny’s face only inches from her own. Jenny still looked beautiful asleep and when Olivia could barely see her, it turned out. 

Or maybe Olivia was just a hopeless romantic. She had always suspected she might be, given the chance.

Just as she was thinking this, Jenny’s eyes opened. Olivia felt her lips curl into a smile. Usually, a moment like this would make Olivia feel awkward and a little guilty, but in the middle of the night, when she was still hazy with sleep, she couldn’t find room in her soul for anything but a soft affection. 

“It’s not morning yet,” she said. “Go back to sleep.”

“No,” Jenny said, and Olivia could immediately tell that something was wrong. Jenny sounded restless. Irritated, almost. “I can’t.”

“Why not?” Olivia asked.

“I can’t-- not with you here,” Jenny said. She sat up, pulling her hand out of Olivia’s. “I let you touch me.”

Olivia sat up too.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Everything,” Jenny said. “This. It’s disgusting.”

“This is my nightmare,” Olivia realized, her voice a terrified whisper.

“It’s true,” Jenny said. “I have to go.”

“Wait,” Olivia said. “It’s not safe.”

“This isn’t safe,” Jenny said. She was already halfway out of bed. “I’m in your bed. I’m in your  _ clothes _ . It’s wrong.”

“It’s not,” Olivia said, but her voice was faint.

“It is,” Jenny said. Olivia reminded herself that this was her nightmare, she had dreamed it a million times, but that didn’t make it any better.

“I’m sorry,” Olivia said.

“I have to go,” Jenny said. “I have to warn people about you.”

And that was the part of the nightmare that Olivia had  _ really _ hoped wouldn’t happen.

“I’m sorry,” she repeated. “I didn’t-- I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Too late,” Jenny said, and she left the room.

Olivia didn’t get back to sleep after that. She laid awake until dawn, trying to forget what had happened. 

The next morning, she dressed herself with care, knowing that the day ahead would likely be miserable. She liked to face her problems looking her best, so that even if everything went wrong, she felt at least a little bit like she knew what she was doing.

She busied herself in the morning by shelving books, spending more time making them look right on the shelves than was strictly necessary. After that was done, she took down every book she could find about dreams, arranged them by color, and took them to a table in the center of the library to research. 

She pulled a book off the stack. The cover was red, and so was the cover of the book beneath it. Some small part of her was satisfied by that. She flipped the book open and cast her gaze down onto the page.

And-- she couldn’t read it. She blinked hard and looked again. She still couldn’t read it. The letters had blurred, somehow, or maybe they were dancing, reforming themselves into something completely incomprehensible. The page swam before her, and she put one hand to her forehead, as if the pressure would somehow straighten things out.

“A girl got attacked.”

Buffy’s voice came from the doorway. Olivia looked up. She could see Buffy just fine.

“What?” she asked.

“A girl got attacked,” Buffy said, coming closer. Willow and Xander were behind her. “She’s in the hospital. Anything new on the research front?”

“No,” Olivia said, “although I haven’t been able to get much done.”

“Ooh!” Willow said, pointing to the books. “Color-coordinated! Like a little rainbow! A bookbow!”

“Yes,” Olivia said. “I just seem to have come to a bit of a halt in the actual research portion of the day.”

“What happened?” Xander asked.

“I’ve forgotten how to read,” Olivia said, looking down at her hands on the table.

“But you can read, like, three languages,” Buffy said.

“Six,” Olivia said. “On a good day. But today is not a good day.”

“Something’s wrong,” Buffy said. “We have to visit Laura at the hospital.”

“I think I agree,” Olivia said. “After school.”

“I’m not sure school is the most important thing right now,” Xander said.

“You’re just saying that because you didn’t study for the math test,” Willow said.

“Your education is important,” Olivia said. “I’ll go to the hospital. I’m sure no one will notice my absence in all the confusion.”

“Be careful,” Buffy said. 

Olivia promised she would, and Buffy, Willow, and Xander left the library. Olivia rubbed her eyes and tried her hand at reading one more time, and then she gave up, put the book in her backpack (just in case), and started walking to the hospital.

It was a half-hour walk. Fortunately, no more of Olivia’s nightmares came to fruition as she was traveling, although she still couldn’t read street signs. She did, however, see a wolf at the door of someone’s house, and two terrified young girls were hanging by their knees from a tree branch over a gaping hole in their front yard. 

Olivia walked faster. She didn’t have the power to do anything immediate, but if she got to the hospital quickly, she might be able to help before anything really bad happened.

She heard a scream behind her.

Maybe not before  _ anything  _ really bad, then.

The girl-- Laura-- was just waking up as Olivia entered her room. Her mom was there, and Olivia quickly made something up about how the school wanted to look after its students, and she had been sent or something like that, and then she said to Laura, “Do you remember what happened?”

“I went to the basement,” she said, and there was this-- this monster, and he was running at me, and yelling something about a lucky 19, and-- and-- I’m not sure.”

“They think you were just hit in the head,” Laura’s mom said. “Nothing big. You’ll be back on your feet soon.”

“I hope so,” Laura said. “My head really hurts.”

A doctor came in.

“Oh, good, you’re awake,” she said. “How are you feeling?”

“My head hurts,” Laura repeated.

“I’ll say,” the doctor said. “Someone’s got to stop this guy. You’re the second one this week.”

“Who was the first?” Olivia asked quickly. 

“A kid down the hall,” the doctor said. “He’s still in a coma. You were lucky.” 

“I have to get back to the school,” Olivia said. “Laura, I hope you feel better soon.”

“Thanks,” Laura said. 

Olivia hurried out of the room and started walking. She couldn’t really go visit the boy in the coma without attracting a lot of attention, but the library had a subscription to the local newspaper, and surely a kid being attacked would at least get a little announcement.

She walked back to the library, seeing many of other people’s nightmares along the way. There were vampires walking the streets, she noticed, even though it was daytime-- some of the nightmare magic must have brought them out, made it so the sun couldn’t burn them. 

She shuddered to see them, and walked faster, but they weren’t going after her, anyway. Somehow, vampires had never entered her nightmares. Her fears were all more mundane: rejection, illness, loss. She always felt like she could handle anything as long as she still had a body that didn’t fail her and a library to keep in order, and so her nightmares didn’t touch on vampires when there was such low-hanging fruit as her own ability to read. 

Her ability to read. She had forgotten. She wouldn’t be able to look up the boy in the coma; she still couldn’t even read street signs. She would need help. Willow would help her, she knew. Or Buffy, or Xander. And if none of them were around, she’d have to take the risk of going to Jenny, but even if Jenny was still repulsed by her, she would do anything to help the kids, assuming the nightmare magic hadn’t changed her beyond what Olivia had already seen.

She took a deep breath. She could do this, then. 

She walked through the doors of Sunnydale High and into an unfamiliar world. The building was the same as always, of course, but the students were rushing by in small packs, each involved in a different kind of nightmare. Olivia noticed Cordelia Chase, head of the popular crew, being ushered through the halls by a group of nerdy boys, and she almost laughed to think that  _ that _ was what Cordelia feared most before remembering that some of her fears weren’t all that dignified either.

She hurried through the halls, her head down, as if that would somehow keep her out of danger. With each moment, the fear in her grew, until finally she burst through the library doors. Some part of her relaxed, even though her rational side knew that she was in just as much danger there. 

There was a person sitting at the table, writing in a notebook. He was middle-aged, a little older than Olivia, maybe, but he wasn’t a teacher; she would have recognized him. Ordinarily, she would have been friendly to such a guest, but right now she felt like a little wind-up toy that had been all wound up, completely tense and just waiting for the chance to let it out. 

“May I help you?” she asked.

The man started, and he looked up at Olivia.

“Are you the librarian?” he asked.

“Yes,” Olivia said. 

“My daughter speaks highly of you,” he said. “I thought she might be here.”

“Your daughter?” Olivia asked. 

A split second later, she remembered Buffy saying something about her father coming to pick her up after school. 

“Buffy,” she said. 

But it wasn’t after school.

“Yes,” the man said. “Is she here?”

Olivia shook her head. 

“She’s in class,” she said. And then she thought about the sort of thing that had been happening lately, and the sorts of nightmares that Buffy probably had, and about her own childhood, haunted by absent parents, and she said, “She won’t be available until the end of the day.”

“I can wait,” the man said.

Olivia gave him her politest smile and silently resolved to go find Buffy and tell her not to come to the library. 

“If you don’t mind my lack of polite conversation,” she said. “I have quite a bit of work to do.”

“No worries,” the man said. “So do I, as it happens.” He gestured at his notebook.

Olivia smiled her polite smile again. She walked to the table at which the man sat and gathered all of her books, taking them (still organized by color) to her desk instead. She opened the one she had been trying to read again.

She still couldn’t. The words swam in front of her, and she blinked, trying not to cry. She was about to fail the whole town, and still she couldn’t manage to read. She wouldn’t even be able to look for the newspaper she needed. 

She forced herself to take a deep breath. Jenny’s dream probably hadn’t worn off yet, but Willow might be available, or, at least, whoever was teaching Willow might let the school librarian take her out of class. She tried to remember what class Willow had now. Surely it was almost sixth period, when Willow would come in to do her homework.

Except today’s routine was all kinds of messed up, so instead of Willow walking through the door later, Buffy was walking through the door now, looking disquieted.

“Buffy!” Olivia called quickly, before Buffy had time to look into the room. “Can you help me?”

“Yeah, sure,” Buffy said, veering towards the front desk. For a moment, Olivia thought she had succeeded in distracting Buffy, but then Buffy glanced towards the middle of the library. Olivia could see the moment in which Buffy saw her dad.

“Dad?” Buffy asked, her voice cracking a little. “I thought you weren’t coming until later.”

“Plans changed,” her dad said. “Come on, let’s take a walk.”

Olivia watched helplessly as Buffy’s dad walked her out of the library.

And then she was alone. 

She thought about leaving and trying to find Jenny, but she wasn’t sure whether Jenny would be in any position to help her. She didn’t want to leave the library, either; somehow it still felt like the last safe place. 

Instead of leaving, Olivia slid from the desk chair to the ground. She realized that she was shaking, and her breath was coming much faster than usual: the nightmare thing had taken a bigger toll on her than she had realized while she was still busy trying to make things better. But now she couldn’t make things better, and all that was left for her to do was shake on the ground and hope that her absolute biggest fear didn’t come true.

She heard the door to the library open. She curled further into herself. 

Jenny’s voice came from the door.

“Olivia?” she called. She sounded hesitant. Vulnerable, even.

“I’m here,” Olivia said, uncurling a little bit.

“Where?” Jenny asked.

“Behind the desk,” Olivia said. “I’m sorry. It turns out I have more fear than I accounted for.”

“I’m sorry about last night,” Jenny said. From her voice, it sounded like she was leaning on the desk. “I don’t really think it was me saying those things.”

“I know,” Olivia said. “I’m not going to blame you for my nightmares.”

“Can I come around?”

“If you want,” Olivia said. She stared straight ahead, at the wall. She heard Jenny walk around the desk, and then she felt the presence of Jenny’s body beside her.

“Stressful day, huh,” Jenny said. “My computer crashed earlier. I can’t look anything up.”

“Oh!” Olivia said. “That reminds me. I need you to help me look up newspaper clippings about a young boy who was attacked about a week ago. I can’t read right now. It’s-- it was my nightmare.”

“Oh, yikes,” Jenny said. “Sure. Where do you keep the newspapers?”

“In the desk drawer,” Olivia said. “I think the article would have happened about a week ago.”

Jenny stood and turned, opening the desk drawer. Olivia turned her head to watch as Jenny rifled through, pulling out a couple of recent papers. She paged through them slowly. Olivia watched her eyes move across the pages, intensely jealous of Jenny’s ability to read.

“Here it is,” Jenny said. She put her finger on it and showed it to Olivia. “Billy Palmer. Found after a Little League game.”

Just then, Olivia heard the library door open. She stood up, steadying herself against the desk. It was Xander and Willow, both talking at once, their words garbled.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“I was naked!” Xander said. “In front of the whole class!” 

“I had to sing,” Willow said. “I  _ don’t _ sing.”

“Do we know what’s going on yet?” Xander asked.

“Billy,” Jenny said.

“Oh, of course!” Xander exclaimed. “Billy!”

Willow rolled her eyes.

“Who’s Billy?” she asked. 

“A kid in a coma at Sunnydale hospital,” Jenny said. “We’re pretty sure his subconscious is making all this happen.”

“Gotta love the Hellmouth,” Xander said. 

“Where’s Buffy?” Willow asked.

“Her dad took her,” Olivia said. 

“Oh, no,” Willow said. Olivia saw a look of quiet understanding on her face.

“I think they went outside,” Olivia said. “I don’t want to interrupt her conversation, but we could consider looking for her.”

“Let’s go,” Xander said. 

“All of us?” Willow asked.

“It’s better not to split up,” Jenny said. She rolled up the newspaper with the article about Billy in it and put it into her back pocket. Olivia winced at the clear mistreatment of a library material, but she recognized the necessity in this moment.

They walked out of the library. Students in the halls were yelling; paint was everywhere, and spiderwebs, and a strange gooey substance that Olivia didn’t dare touch. Once they got through all that and out of the school, they were faced with a strange sight: it was daytime, but across from the school was a darkened cemetery, gravestones rising like jagged teeth out of the maw of the night.

“When did we get a schoolside cemetery?” Xander asked.

“And when did they make it night over there?” Willow added.

“Oh, no,” breathed Olivia. She didn’t want to step closer, but step closer she did, towards what-- or, more accurately, who-- she knew must rest in that cemetery.

As they walked, Willow tapped on Olivia’s arm.

“Ms. Caliban?” she said. 

Olivia looked at her. Her eyes were full of fear, and Olivia waited with baited breath to hear about Willow’s new nightmare.

“I-- I think my really big scary nightmare is happening,” Willow said. “I-- I feel all sick.”

Olivia froze. This wasn’t just Willow’s nightmare. This was Olivia’s, too. She felt the adrenaline fill her body. Fear seized her, and her first instinct was to run.

“Is that your fear?” she asked instead.

“Yeah,” Willow said. “I-- I don’t usually tell people-- but I was really worried, and now-- we have to find Billy.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Olivia said. She didn’t know what to do. She had to get away from Willow, but Willow was helping, and also just as scared as Olivia, and Olivia couldn’t tell Willow that she was freaking out, because she was a teacher and she was supposed to be some kind of role model or something.

Olivia looked at Jenny, trying to communicate her panic. Fortunately, Jenny was surprisingly good at interpreting Olivia’s wide eyes and tensed shoulders, and she quickly moved between Olivia and Willow, taking Olivia’s hand for good measure.

“Hey,” she said to Willow. “It’ll be all right. We just have to find Buffy.”

“I’m just going to wait here,” Willow said, sitting down right where they were on the steps of the school. 

“I’ll stay with you,” Xander said. He looked at Olivia and Jenny. “Don’t worry. We’ll be okay.”

“So will we,” Jenny said, squeezing Olivia’s hand. Olivia saw Willow’s eyes, even in her panic, dart to their joined hands, but then Olivia broke the link with a quick glance at Jenny.

“Let’s go,” Olivia said, trying to keep the urgent edge out of her voice.

“Yep,” Jenny said. “If you guys can, meet us at the hospital. Otherwise, we’ll come back to the library.”

Olivia was already walking away as fast as she could, her adrenaline carrying her. The fear was still at her throat, and she wanted to cry, but she couldn’t, because then everyone would see her. 

Jenny caught up.

“Hey,” she said. “You all right?”

“I’m not sure,” Olivia said, truthfully. “The other nightmares were only dreams, but this was-- the one I was scared of.” She still felt like she might cry. She sounded like it, too.

“It’s all right,” Jenny said. “Let’s find Buffy.”

But this was a graveyard Olivia had seen in her nightmares, too, and as they stepped into the darkness Olivia thought of what would come next.

They would find a grave labelled, “Buffy Anne Summers.”

A hand would pop out. 

Then another.

And Buffy’s head would burst through the dirt, like she had been planted and now it was time for a harvest, except that Buffy would be doing the harvesting.

Her face would be wrinkled in the forehead, and Olivia would hold up a cross. She wouldn’t be able to bring herself to stake Buffy, and Buffy would run away.

Olivia looked at Jenny.

“Is this one yours as well?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Jenny said, looking positively terrified. “Yeah, it’s mine.”

Olivia took Jenny’s hand again.

“Together,” she said.

“Together,” Jenny agreed.

The gravestone was in front of them. A hand popped out of the ground, and then another. Slowly, painfully, Buffy emerged, and Olivia held up her cross.

But instead of Buffy hissing and shrinking away, she tilted her head and asked, “Huh?”

“Your face,” Jenny said.

Buffy’s hands flew to her forehead.

“Oh, no,” she said. “My skin was so clear, too.”

Olivia breathed a sigh of relief. Buffy was a vampire in form, but she was still, somehow, the same old Buffy.

“We’ve figured out what’s been causing the nightmares,” she said. “A kid in the hospital. His name is Billy Palmer.”

“I saw Billy,” Buffy said. “In the cafeteria, and a few other places.”

“More evidence,” Jenny said. “Did he say anything?”

“He was afraid,” Buffy said. “Of the ‘Ugly Man.’”

They walked together to the hospital, talking about who (what?) the Ugly Man might be. The walk was even more chaotic than it had been the last time; parts of the street had actually opened up and swallowed pedestrians. The hospital, too, was full of beeping and screaming. Olivia imagined that doctors and nurses had fairly high-stakes nightmares, and everyone who had a physical ailment as a result of their nightmares was sitting in the ER waiting room.

“I can’t turn my face back,” Buffy said as they walked in. “Is that going to be an issue?”

“I doubt it,” Jenny said.

So did Olivia, looking around at the faces around her. One was completely purple; another person’s nose had grown to be about a foot long. There were a couple of other half-vampires, even, all huddled in on themselves, with loved ones hovering.

“Hopefully it’ll change back when the nightmares go away,” Olivia said.

“If we can make them go away,” Buffy countered.

“We can do it,” Jenny said, her effortless confidence giving Olivia a little bit of hope.

The receptionist told them where Billy’s room was without much struggle. He looked bedraggled; surely it had been a rough day for him as well. Jenny, Olivia, and BUffy walked right up. There was a nurse in the room, hovering over Billy’s bed; Olivia said that they were concerned relatives. The nurse looked at the three of them critically as Olivia realized that she, Jenny, Buffy, and Billy really didn’t look much like each other. 

Fortunately, the nurse seemed to shrug it off and said, “He’s been in here about a week. Came in all beat up. He might never wake up.”

“What happened?” Buffy asked.

“We don’t know,” the nurse said, but Buffy wasn’t looking at the nurse. Her gaze was focused on the empty doorway.

“Lucky nineteen,” she said. “Is that what he called you?”

“What’s going on?” the nurse asked.

Jenny shushed her. She and Olivia were both watching Buffy.

“It’s not your fault,” Buffy said. “There’s eight other players on the team.”

“Is this another one of those weird dream things?” the nurse asked. “Are you people real?”

“Fortunately,” Olivia said, “yes, and we’re here to help.”

Suddenly, Buffy charged the doorway. Olivia could hear stomping in the hallway, the footsteps of a lumbering giant. She took the two steps to peer into the hall. Buffy was fighting some sort of… well, it looked like a man, but mutated into a monster. The power of a nightmare, Olivia realized.

The battle was short, compared to the trials of the last few days. Buffy punched and kicked as usual, and at the end of it, she pulled the face off the monster-man, and Olivia watched her own face turn human as she stood triumphant in the hospital hallway.

“I hope Willow’s all right,” Olivia said, a little nonsensically. 

“Everything looks back to normal,” Jenny said. She was at the window.

One of the machines attached to Billy started beeping, and Olivia turned to look. He was waking up.

“I had the strangest dream,” he said, looking around at everyone in the room in turn. “You were there… and you were there… and you were there.”

“We’re glad to see you awake,” Olivia said.

“Oh, hey, Billy’s got visitors,” said a voice from behind Olivia. She turned around to see a big guy doing a friendly wave. “How’s he doing? He’s my lucky nineteen.”

Olivia could feel the air in the room turn to ice. 

“He’s awake,” Buffy said, her voice stone cold as she stepped to the side. 

The man looked flustered, and Olivia looked back to Billy. He was staring down the man with a quiet power.

“There’s nine other players on the team,” he said. “It wasn’t my fault.”

Jenny was grinning at Billy like he’d just invented a new kind of computer, and Buffy was smiling, too, and Olivia felt a kind of pride.

“We’re from Sunnydale High School,” she told Billy. “Find us if you ever need anything.”

“Thanks,” Billy said. 

“See you,” Jenny said. She brushed past the coach, barely honoring him with a glare.

“Get out,” Buffy said to the coach. Her voice was made of steel.

“What?” 

“Get out,” repeated Buffy. “Or I’ll make you get out.”

The guy had the gall to laugh.

“What are you going to do?”

Buffy put a hand on the metal end of Billy’s bed and bent it.

“You don’t want that to be your spine,” she said.

Olivia thought she made a good point. So did the coach; he looked at her for a moment like he was going to start a fight anyway, and then he snorted and turned around, leaving the room.

“Can’t believe  _ that _ was the scariest thing I’ve experienced in the last few days,” Buffy said as she and Olivia followed the coach out. Jenny was waiting in the hall.

“I’ll drive you home,” she said to Buffy as they left the hospital. “Although my car’s at school. You might be better off just walking.”

“Nah,” Buffy said. “I want to check on Willow at least.”

“Sounds good,” Jenny said. “Olivia, you should come home with me. You know, because of all the fear.”

“I’d be honored,” Olivia said. 

“Has anyone ever told you you talk funny?” Buffy asked.

“They never seem to tell me much else,” Olivia said.

“You’re a librarian,” Jenny said. “Comes with the field.”

“Like an infuriating amount of modern slang comes with yours?” Olivia asked.

“Sure,” Jenny said, “if by ‘modern slang’ you mean ‘words that everyone uses in this century.”

“Truly, Olivia said, smiling, “I’m sorry for any confusion.”

Sunnydale looked almost completely ordinary again. Walking back, Olivia saw confused faces, but she didn’t see any gaping holes in the sidewalk, so she counted that as a win. 

They arrived back at the school to see Willow and Xander still sitting exactly where they had been left, Xander’s arm around Willow, who was still sniffling. Olivia noted with relief that the ground around Willow was clean. 

“You guys okay?” Jenny asked, approaching.

“Yeah,” Willow said, looking up and wiping her face. Her expression changed completely to one of resolve. “I feel better now. Did you kill the monster?”

“Yep,” Buffy said. “Weird nightmare baseball coach. Dead now.”

And then Buffy’s face grew worried as Olivia heard a car honk two friendly honks behind her. She turned around to see Buffy’s dad waving.

“Ready for the weekend?” he was calling out the door

“Yep!” Buffy called back, a smile suddenly lighting up her face. “We just have to swing by Mom’s house to get my bag.”

“Well, that’s that all settled,” Xander said. “What do you say, Will? You want to Bronze it up?”

“Only if we can sit in the couches in the corner and no one makes me dance,” Willow said.

“No dancing,” Xander said. “Check.” 

“I think this is our cue to leave,” Jenny said to Olivia.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Olivia said.

“Bye, kids,” Jenny said. “Don’t stay up too late.”

“I’m not sure I ever want to sleep again,” Willow said. 

“Fair enough,” Jenny said. 

Twenty minutes later, Olivia and Jenny were curled up a few inches apart on Jenny’s couch, watching a random movie from Jenny’s collection and sipping hot chocolate

“Can I put my arm around you?” Jenny asked.

“Of course,” Olivia said, surprised. 

Jenny wrapped her arm around Olivia’s shoulders, pulling her close. Olivia rested her head on Jenny’s shoulder..

“I don’t think you’re disgusting, you know,” Jenny said.

Olivia smiled.

“I thought as much,” she said, and she turned her head for a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I definitely did project my own phobia onto both Olivia and Willow, and that's probably going to come up again because now that I've put it in I can't just leave it hanging like that, but I also can't write about it in all that much detail, so all three of my readers are just going to have to deal with that, I guess. I feel like it might change Willow's characterization a little. I'm not sure yet. Did I mention that I wrote most of this in the middle of the night?


	8. Out of Mind, Out of Sight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I seem to be pretty solidly entering a Doctor Who phase again. I promise, I do plan on finishing this work; I've even started on the last chapter. Don't be startled if I post, like, a million Doctor Who fics between now and then.

 

It had been about a week since the nightmares, and Olivia hadn’t fully recovered. She had closed herself off a bit, she knew; Jenny had, too, and it felt a little like they were both going through a pantomime of their relationship, which threw Olivia off guard. It had been a while since she had been as close to someone as she now was to Jenny, and to get used to that closeness and then separate herself from it was quite a strange feeling. Olivia felt like all of the not-talking was building up between them, and eventually it would fall over or explode or separate them completely or something else even worse.

And then there was Willow, who came into the library every day like usual, but sat at a stool at Olivia’s desk (why hadn’t she thought of putting stools there sooner?) and actually talked to her. They didn’t talk about their shared nightmare, but knowing that it was shared made Olivia feel the need to mentor Willow, somehow, and not having to talk too much about why was an added bonus.

Meanwhile, Olivia and Jenny both were working on researching the Master, Slayers, and anything else they could think of, but they were running out of leads. Buffy said she had seen the Master before she had gone into the ground, which had put everybody on edge. Olivia couldn’t find a prophecy on what the Master intended, but she could tell that he intended to do it soon.

And then, one evening, when Olivia was researching alone in the library (a risky proposition to begin with, especially when Jenny had already gone home), a strange man walked in. Olivia immediately snatched a cross from the table and held it up (she had known the risk she was taking, after all), but the man just laughed.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ve come to help.”

“And how do I know you’re telling the truth?” Olivia asked.

“You don’t,” the man said. “You might just have to trust me.”

Something about his silhouette, his spiky hair, seemed familiar to Olivia, but she couldn’t pin it down.

“I don’t have a lot of trust,” she said. “Why are you here?”

“Like I said,” he told her. “To help. I’m sorry about last week, by the way.”

“Last week?” Olivia asked. A split second later, she got it. She stepped back. “Angel.”

“Yes.”

“Angelus.”

“Different guy, same skin,” Angel said. “And I really am sorry. I’m all better now.”

“I’m glad,” Olivia said. “You think you can help?”

“You’re trying to protect Buffy from the Master.”

“You think you’ll do it better?” Olivia asked.

“No,” Angel said, “but every effort counts.”

“For the record,” Olivia said, “you’re much too old for her.”

“I know,” Angel said. “Please. Just let me help.”

“I’m afraid I’ve hit a bit of a dead end with the research,” Olivia admitted. “I was just about to go home. My books talk about texts that seem to have been lost for centuries.”

“Like what?” Angel asked.

Olivia checked her notes.

“Well, the most pressing prophecies seem to be in something called the Pergamum Codex,” she said.

“I can get you the Codex.”

“You can? How?”

“I have my ways.” Angel smiled a very slight smile. “I’ll bring it to you tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow, then,” Olivia agreed. “I suppose now I’ll go home.”

“Tell your friend I’m sorry I scared her as well,” Angel said.

“I’ll be sure to,” Olivia said. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Angel backed away and turned, his coat flaring out behind him. Olivia watched him go, and then she dialed Jenny from the library phone.

Jenny picked up on the third ring.

“Hello?” she said.

“Yes, Jenny, it’s me,” Olivia said.

“Oh, hey, what’s up?” Jenny asked.

“I’ve been doing research in the library, and Angel just came by.”

“What did he want?” Jenny’s voice was noticeably colder.

“He wanted to help,” Olivia said. “Have you heard of the Pergamum Codex?”

“It’s lost, isn’t it?” Jenny asked.

“Angel says he can find it.”

There was silence on the other end of the line.

“And he says he’s sorry,” Olivia added.

“It’s not his fault,” Jenny said.

“I know, but I told him I’d pass along the message.”

“Thanks.”

There was a distance between them, and not just because they were in different buildings. Olivia wished she knew how to close it.

“You’re welcome,” she said.

“Are you still at the school?” Jenny asked. “It’s dark.”

“Yes, but I’m sure I’ll be all right. It’s a short walk.”

“You know it’s not safe.”

“I lost track of time,” Olivia said. “I will have to take more care in the future.”

“Damn it,” Jenny said.

“What?”

“I’m coming to get you.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Olivia said. “I’ll be fine.”

“You shouldn’t take the risk if you don’t have to,” Jenny was saying briskly, “and you don’t have to. I’ll be there in ten.”

“Thank you,” Olivia said, but Jenny had already hung up. Olivia placed the phone back on its hook and started trying to decide which books to take home with her.

Fifteen minutes later, Jenny walked into the library, a plastic bag in one hand.

“What’s that?” Olivia asked.

“Change of plans,” Jenny said. “Let’s do dinner.” She raised the bag. “I got Chinese.”

“Oh,” Olivia said. “In the library?”

“Why not?” Jenny asked. “I haven’t seen you much lately. I miss you.”

“Why not, indeed,” Olivia agreed. “You’re lucky you arrived when you did. I just finished clearing off the tables.”

“Cool,” Jenny said. “I thought we’d have to sit on the floor.”

“It’s your fault for bringing all those computers in here,” Olivia pointed out.

“Hey, I didn’t see you protesting a new source of knowledge inside your library,” Jenny said.

“Fair enough,” Olivia said.

Jenny set the food down on a table, and Olivia started pulling cartons out of the bag and opening them. It smelled wonderful, and Olivia smiled; she hadn’t eaten since lunch, and she realized now she was hungry, or as close as she got, anyway.

“You know,” Jenny said, “you might be working yourself too hard.”

“I like to be busy,” Olivia said. She tucked a piece of her hair back into its bun.

“You know,” Jenny said, “I’ve never seen you with your hair down. Even when we were sleeping in the same bed.”

“I don’t take it down very often,” Olivia said. “I like it up.”

“Huh,” Jenny said. “I bet you’d be cute with it down.”

Olivia blushed.

“I just like it up,” she repeated.

Jenny shrugged.

“You’re cute with it up, too.” She had a sly little smile on her face. Olivia blushed harder.

“Thank you,” she said.

They ate in silence for a few moments, eating out of the cartons in favor of tracking down plates. Olivia was trying to formulate ways to talk to Jenny about nightmares, but then Jenny said, “Do you hear that?”

“What?” Olivia asked.

“There’s a noise,” Jenny said. “Sounds like… flute, I think.”

Olivia stopped chewing and listened. She could hear… something, a sort of eerie music filtering through to the library.

“I hear it,” she said.

“Want to investigate?” Jenny asked.

Olivia weighed her options. On one hand, some kid had probably just stayed behind after school; on the other hand, this was Sunnydale, and it was also likely that some monster had figured out a way to kill with flute music.

And on the _other_ other hand, her nightmares had all already come true, and they were much more mundane than “killed by flute music.”

“All right,” she said. “Band room?”

“Sounds like a good start,” Jenny said.

Olivia stuck her chopsticks into some rice and stood. She offered Jenny her hand, and Jenny took it, beaming. Together, they walked through the halls, following the source of the flute.

The band room was empty, but the flute sounds were louder, so Olivia and Jenny separated and started poking around, looking for a possible source.

“It’s above us,” Jenny said suddenly.

Olivia turned to face her. “It is?”

Jenny was looking up at the ceiling.

“See, that ceiling panel’s been moved.”

Olivia looked at the panel, then beneath it. There were some shelves; she could see how they could be used as a ladder.

“Are we going up?” she asked.

“You tell me,” Jenny said.

“Let’s go,” Olivia said. She walked over to the shelves, noticing the footprints already on them. She stepped on the first one with the ball of her foot, testing the strength. It seemed to hold, so she climbed to the next, moving gingerly in her heels and skirt. Once at the top, she pushed the ceiling panel up and poked her head in. She didn’t see anyone, but a light was on, and there were a number of books and trinkets scattered across the floor. The flute music was louder here.

“Hello?” she said.

The music stopped. Olivia saw a flute floating in the air, falling to rest about six inches off the ground.

“Hello. It’s Ms. Caliban, the librarian. May I come in? I’ve got a friend behind me.”

The voice came through the space, from about where the flute had dropped.

“How did you find this place?”

“You left a ceiling tile loose,” Olivia said. “May I come up?”

“All right,” the voice said. “Only if you promise not to tell anyone.”

“I promise. May Ms. Calendar come up as well?”

“If she has to,” the voice said.

Olivia hoisted herself up, and Jenny scrambled up after. A moment later, they were both hunched over in the small space above the band room, trying to figure out where to look.

“You’re invisible,” Jenny said.

“Tell me something I don’t know,” sneered the voice.

“I know your voice,” Jenny said.

“Oh, nice one,” the voice said. “I _didn’t_ know that.”

“You were in one of my classes,” Jenny continued. “Hm. Marcie, right? Marcie Ross? Your work was excellent.”

“So someone at this school _did_ see me.”

“It’s gotten harder,” Jenny remarked.

“Yes,” Marcie said. “Isn’t it beautiful?”

“Beautiful?” Olivia asked. “It’s hard to find beauty in that which I cannot perceive.”

“That’s the beauty,” Marcie said. “No one can. I can do whatever I want.”

“Like what?” Jenny asked.

“Make them regret what they did to me,” Marcie said.

“Who?” Olivia asked. “Did they make you like this?”

“Everyone,” Marcie said. “Everyone made me this way. They ignored me. I have to punish them. I have to punish Cordelia.”

“I’m not sure that qualifies as beautiful,” Olivia said.

“Fine,” Marcie said. “Then it’s justice.”

“Try vengeance,” Jenny said.

“Vengeance,” Marcie repeated, her voice cold. “Exactly.”

“What are you planning?” Olivia asked.

“I’m going to hurt her. I’m going to make it so that no one ever loves her pretty face again.”

“Or you could consider _not_ doing that,” Jenny said.

“Why not?” Marcie asked. “It’s not like she’ll know it was me.”

“We will,” Olivia said.

It was the wrong thing to say.

“Only if I don’t stop you,” Marcie replied, and Olivia heard a shuffling. Seized with fear, she tumbled backwards into Jenny, only narrowly avoiding the hole where the loose ceiling tile had been. She felt a blow land on the right side of her head, and she crawled to the left, trying to escape. Her head spun, and suddenly she went a little too far, and there wasn’t anything underneath her knees, and she scrambled to hold on, and she heard Jenny yelling her name, but then she felt another blow to her knuckles, and she had to let go, falling through to the floor.

When she woke up, she didn’t know where she was. Her glasses were off, and all she could see was white above her. She heard beeping and realized that it was her heartbeat. She was in the hospital.

Her head throbbed, and the pain intensified when she tried to move it, so she closed her eyes instead. She heard footsteps and opened them again. A warm hand covered one of hers, and Jenny’s voice was saying, “Olivia?”

“Yes,” Olivia said. She tried to smooth down her hair with her other hand, and then she realized that the hand hurt, and it felt somehow bulky. “What’s wrong with my hand?”

“Broken,” Jenny said. “I forgot everything the doctor said. Definitely a concussion, and you scraped yourself pretty bad when you fell.”

“How did you get out?” Olivia asked.

“Carefully,” Jenny said. “Olivia, I was worried about you. You haven’t woken up for hours.”

“Have you been here for that long?” Olivia asked.

“Well, I broke my arm,” Jenny said. “But after they splinted it I came up here. I called Buffy, too, and told her what was happening.”

“That was a good idea,” Olivia said. Her head hurt more when she talked.

“How do you feel?” Jenny asked.

“Kind of fuzzy,” Olivia said. “My head hurts. And my hand.” And then she remembered some of the symptoms of concussions. “Oh. Am I-- is this going to get any worse?”

“I don’t know,” Jenny said. “I don’t think so. The doctors said there was no sign of swelling in the brain.”

“That’s good,” Olivia said. “We should talk about our nightmares.” She didn’t realize she was about to say it until she said it. She felt Jenny’s hand stiffen. “I mean,” she continued, “we’re-- we’re growing apart because we can’t talk about it. I miss you.”

“Yeah,” Jenny said. “Me too.” Her hand relaxed on Olivia’s. “Maybe when you’re less fuzzy?”

“Maybe that would be best,” Olivia admitted. “Am I supposed to be seeing a nurse right now?”

“Probably,” Jenny said. “I’ll sure one will show up.”

Sure enough, just then, the door opened, and Olivia heard brisk footsteps. The warmth of Jenny’s hand disappeared.

“Good, you’re awake,” the nurse said. “How are you feeling?”

“My head hurts quite a bit,” Olivia said, “but I suspect you knew that.”

The nurse gave an awkward chuckle.

“Do you remember what happened?” she asked. “Your friend said you fell out of the ceiling.”

“Yes,” Olivia said. “That’s about it.”

“What were you doing up there?” the nurse asked.

“Trying to hang some decorations,” Jenny said. “For a band concert.”

“Yes,” Olivia said.

“Dangerous way to hang decorations,” the nurse remarked.

“Well, I clearly know that now,” Olivia said.

“You two must be good friends,” the nurse said. “For you to not leave her for so long.”

“Everyone needs someone,” Jenny said. Olivia could hear the tightness in her voice.

The nurse fussed around a bit more and then left Jenny and Olivia alone.

“Do you have my glasses?” Olivia asked. “I’d really like my glasses.”

“They’re on your nightstand,” Jenny said. “I don’t know whether you’re allowed to wear them.”

“I want to see,” Olivia said. “I can’t even move my head. How can glasses hurt me?”

“Yeah, good point,” Jenny said, and a moment later, Olivia saw Jenny’s blurry face floating above hers, two hands putting glasses on her with great care. Jenny’s face became sharper, clearer.

“Thanks,” Olivia said.

“My pleasure,” Jenny said, smiling. “Can you see me?”

“Clearly,” Olivia said.

“Good,” Jenny said. Her face moved away. Olivia was back to staring at the white ceiling. Somehow, it wasn’t much different without glasses.

“I don’t think this is making anything worse,” Olivia said.

“Good,” Jenny said again. Her hand covered Olivia’s again. Olivia smiled a little at the warmth, and then winced, because it hurt to smile.

“You all right?” Jenny asked.

Olivia tried to nod, remembered that nodding hurt, and then said, “Yes.”

“Cool,” Jenny said.

Eventually, Jenny had to go home, and Olivia was left to spend the night alone in the hospital. The next morning, Buffy stopped in, _clearly_ skipping class, to say, “I need everything you know about the invisible girl.”

“Oh, dear,” Olivia said. She could move her head now; she could even sit up, as long as she didn’t do it too fast. So she was sitting up in bed, her head turned to look at Buffy. “I forgot that this is the sort of thing you do.”

“Yep,” Buffy said. “Please help.”

“I doubt I have anything that Jenny hasn’t already told you,” Olivia said.

“I just want your side of the story,” Buffy said. Olivia thought she detected the slightest plaintive note in Buffy’s voice, and in that moment it struck her that Buffy wasn’t just there to learn more about the invisible girl.

“What part of the story do you need?” she asked, her voice gentle. She didn’t know how to approach this. She had been a school librarian for years, but she had never been an impromptu supernatural mentor for one of her students before.

“I don’t know,” Buffy said. “Um, Jenny said something about the band room?”

“There’s a loose ceiling tile in the band room,” Olivia said. “That’s where she lives.”

“And her name is Marcie,” Buffy continued.

“Marcie Ross,” confirmed Olivia. “Buffy, be careful. She’s gone past what’s healthy or reasonable. She’s not about to listen to you if you try and talk to her.”

“I don’t want to talk,” Buffy said, steel entering her voice. “She’s hurting people. She hurt Ms. Calendar. She hurt _you_. I want to stop her.”

“Just remember she’s still a human,” Olivia said.

“I know,” Buffy said. “I won’t hurt her too bad. Thanks.”

“You’re very welcome,” Olivia said.

Buffy’s hands twisted in her lap.

“I’m glad you’re okay.”

“Me, too,” said Olivia.

“Oh, and-- Ms. Calendar said to tell you she’ll be back after school today. She was sorry that she couldn’t come earlier.”

“Her work is important,” Olivia said. “Speaking of which, you should be in school, shouldn’t you? And don’t tell me it’s your free period, because I know you spend that in the library with Willow some days.”

Buffy rolled her eyes.

“It’s P. E.,” she said. “Like I really need P. E.”

“I suppose I can’t see the fault in that logic,” Olivia admitted. “Still. Education is important.”

“If you say so,” Buffy said, but she stood. “I’ll talk to you later?”

“Later,” Olivia agreed.

Buffy walked out, and Olivia settled back with her book (a sort of silly novel from the hospital store; not the kind of thing she would have read ordinarily, but just the right thing for her mind at the moment) to wait for Jenny.

Three in the afternoon rolled around, and then four, and Jenny still wasn’t there. As five approached, Olivia began to worry; Jenny should have called, at least, by now. She wasn’t sure what might have happened, especially in broad daylight, but she _was_ sure that she didn’t trust this invisible girl, and she didn’t really trust Jenny not to do something completely ridiculous and self-sacrificing about it.

Five came and went, then six. Olivia finished her book and got the nurse to bring her another, but she could barely pay attention to the words on the page, so impatient was she for Jenny to show up.

Finally, at a little past seven, Jenny stumbled in, Angel in tow.

“They almost didn’t let us in,” Jenny said. “Past visiting hours.”

“Jenny!” Olivia exclaimed, sitting up too fast and watching the world spin around her for a moment. “What happened? Are you all right? Why is Angel here?”

“I brought the Codex,” Angel explained, holding up a thick, old book. His eyes darted to the book in Olivia’s hands. “Although it looks like you already have something to read.”

“Oh, thank you,” Olivia said. “I’ll get started on it as soon as my mind settles.”

“I’ll help,” Jenny said. “What is it?”

“It’s in ancient Greek,” Olivia said. “It’s a book of prophecies about the Slayer. It was lost, but I suppose now it’s been found.”

“Was never lost,” Angel said. “Not to those who know where to look.”

“Well, the rest of us will consider that lost,” Jenny said. She took the chair next to Olivia’s bed. “You’re sitting up today.”

“Yes,” Olivia said. “The nurses are very proud of me. I should be going home in a day or two. No work for a week at least, but I’m not sure if we have time for that.”

“Things are stirring,” Angel said. He was still lurking in the back of the hospital room, exactly like he always was.

“You need your rest,” Jenny said.

“Not as much as the world needs saving,” Olivia said.

“You’re too good,” Jenny said. “Take care of yourself. I’ll work on the Codex.”

“You don’t know any Greek,” Olivia said.

“You’re right about that,” Jenny agreed, “but I don’t have a concussion.”

“We can do it together,” Olivia decided. “In the library. I can go to work every day and still not work all that much, if I put my mind to it.”

“Thank goodness no one ever uses the library,” Jenny said.

“I’m going to head out,” Angel said. Olivia had almost forgotten he was there. She looked over Jenny’s head at him.

“Thank you,” she said. “This will make our research a lot more straightforward.”

“That’s the idea,” Angel said. He smiled his strange, cryptic smile, and then he turned with a flourish of his leather jacket and left.

“He really never gets any less dramatic,” Jenny said.

“I think he must have been born that way,” Olivia said. “Before he became a vampire, I mean.”

Jenny laughed.

“You’re probably right,” she said. “He probably always lurked in dark alleys.”

“I imagine that’s how he was bitten,” Olivia added.

“Of course,” Jenny said.

Olivia had nothing left to say, and so they sat in silence for a moment. Olivia looked at Jenny, her bright eyes, her dark hair.

“You’re quite beautiful,” she said.

Jenny smiled.

“I’m not the only one,” she said.

Olivia’s eyes widened. Jenny’s smile grew deeper. She took Olivia’s good hand in hers and raised it to her lips, kissing it.

“Are you up to talk about our nightmares now?” Jenny asked, lowering Olivia’s hand. She didn’t let go.

“I think so,” Olivia said. She secured her grip on Jenny’s hand, their fingers interlacing.

“Cool,” Jenny said.

There was another silence.

“I don’t like to talk about my fears,” Olivia said. “You know what I’m afraid of now. I can only hope that you don’t use that information for anything that will negatively affect me.”

“Never,” Jenny said. “And, you know, the same back to you.”

“Of course,” Olivia said. “I promise.”

“Are you really afraid I’ll find you repulsive?” Jenny asked.

Olivia thought for a moment.

“I’m not so much afraid that you’ll hate me,” she said, “as I am that I’m somehow doing the wrong thing in dating you. My mind manifests the nightmare of you being repulsed by me because I’m afraid that I really am repulsive.”

“I promise,” Jenny said, “you are not repulsive.”

“Thank you,” Olivia said. “For what it’s worth, neither are you.”

“I’ve gone from beautiful to not repulsive, huh.”

“You can be both,” Olivia said, a smile playing at her lips. “I want to know-- how are you recovering after the Angelus nightmare?”

“How are you recovering after the nightmare you shared with Willow?” Jenny asked.

Olivia shivered.

“It takes time, I suppose,” she said.

“It really does,” Jenny agreed. “I’m sorry I’ve been distant. I’m not used to sharing these things.”

“Neither am I,” Olivia said. “You’re not the only one who’s been distant.”

“It-- it makes everything more serious,” Jenny said. “I mean, it was serious before, but now I know things, and you know things, and we weren’t really given a choice about who knows those things.”

“It would have been much better if we could have chosen,” Olivia said.

“I don’t know if you would have found out that way,” Jenny said. “Something would have had to catalyze it.”

“I appreciate your use of the word ‘catalyze,’” Olivia said.

Jenny’s hold on Olivia’s hand became firmer, and she leaned in, closer to where Olivia sat.

“I’m glad I have you,” she said, her voice quiet and intense.

“Me, too,” Olivia said, honestly. There, in the dusk of the hospital room, she looked Jenny in the eyes and, finally, saw someone she trusted completely.

And then she laughed.

“You never told me what happened with the invisible girl,” she said.

“Got taken away by the FBI or something,” Jenny said. “I wish I was kidding. Tried to gas us all first, of course. Thank God Angel was around.”

Olivia shivered, thinking what might have happened if Jenny hadn’t been saved.

“I don’t like that,” she said.

“You and me both,” Jenny agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't my *best* work, but, hey, it's a transitional chapter. Prophecy Girl is the real heavy hitter.


	9. Prophecy Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LAST CHAPTER Y'ALL!

As promised, Olivia returned to school a few days later, her fingers still splinted but her head only mildly fuzzy, and began work on the Pergamum Codex. It really was a lot to translate, and her newly repaired mind wasn’t quite happy about it, but she much preferred doing the work to taking it easy. And Jenny  _ was  _ there to help, which mostly meant she looked over Olivia’s shoulder and asked what words meant, but sometimes she insisted on taking the Codex away and using a dictionary and grammar book to try and do it herself. Of course, this just ended up with Olivia having to correct the translation anyway, so Jenny usually relented and let Olivia pry the book back fairly quickly. 

The prophecies were enlightening. Many of them had already come to pass, or weren’t relevant to the matter at hand, but Olivia enjoyed reading them anyway, stories about Slayers past. She felt for those Slayers, girls who hadn’t chosen their calling but who had been destined for these battles from the days of their births. She hadn’t read their stories, but the prophecies made their lives sound grim and difficult, and Olivia thought of Buffy, with a bright smile and golden hair, and she thought about everything Buffy was likely to face in future years, and she felt an overwhelming sadness. 

She said this to Jenny-- “I can’t believe the Slayers have gone through all of this,” she told her one evening, after staying late at the school to translate. “It’s tragic. They deserved a childhood.”

“And an adulthood,” Jenny said, standing behind her. “It doesn’t sound like they lived all that long.”

Olivia nodded. She felt so lost, all of a sudden. What kind of a world was this, where teenage girls were routinely expected to die for the sake of the world? What kind of a world was this, that couldn’t defend itself? That didn’t have a highly-trained army? One girl wasn’t nearly enough.

Jenny’s hand came down over Olivia’s shoulders, Jenny’s fingers threading through hers, and Olivia looked up to see Jenny’s face looking down at her, equally as sad.

“It’s not fair,” Jenny said quietly. “You’re right.”

Olivia leaned back into Jenny.

“I don’t know what to do about it,” she said. “It’s so-- so definite. So  _ destined _ . I don’t like it at all.”

“You don’t have to,” Jenny said. “You don’t have to fix it, either. You’re doing the best you can just by helping.”

“It’s not going to be enough,” Olivia said.

“It is,” Jenny said. She leaned down and kissed the top of Olivia’s head. “You can do this.”

“I can do this,” Olivia repeated.

“And I’m going to start getting my stuff together,” Jenny said, and Olivia felt Jenny’s presence leave the space behind her, “because we are leaving soon, and I’m going to make you dinner.” 

“You don’t have to--” Olivia began, turning around in the chair.

“Too bad,” Jenny said, “because between your concussion and your commitment to fighting on behalf of good, you’ve been stretching yourself entirely too thin, and if I want to make my girlfriend dinner, I can.”

“All right,” Olivia said, half a smile on her face. “I suppose. If there’s nothing I can do to stop you.” And she turned back around. She almost started to close the book, and then a word caught her eye.  _ Master. _

She murmured the passage out loud, already afraid she knew what it meant. To be sure, she looked up every word in her dictionary, then looked them up again, before she dared write out the prophecy with a shaking hand.

_ The Master will rise _ , she wrote.

_The Master will rise,_ _and the Slayer will die._

She gasped, accidentally blotting the ancient, fraying paper of the Codex with her pen. 

“What is it?” Jenny asked, still on the other side of the little office, the side of the office in which Buffy was fine and alive and not going to die in a battle for the fate of the world.

“It’s--” Olivia started-- “it’s bad news.”

“From the Codex?” Jenny asked, still mostly unconcerned.

“Yes,” Olivia said. She managed to get the cap back on to her pen, and she stood up, wobbling a little bit. “It’s Buffy. She’s going to die.”

That got Jenny’s attention. 

“What?” she asked, walking over. “Are you sure?”

“Very sure,” Olivia said. “I-- I looked each word up three times. And the grammar. You can try, too, but I don’t think you’ll get anything different from what I got. She’s going to die.”

“She’s so young,” Jenny said, her voice almost a whisper. “So young, Olivia.”

“I know,” Olivia said. 

“Does the book--” Jenny’s voice was cracking-- “does the book say anything about when?”

“I might be able to calculate it,” Olivia said, “but I’m really not sure.”

Jenny opened her mouth to answer, but what came out instead was a yell as the floor beneath them started shaking. Olivia fell into Jenny, and Jenny stumbled, but managed to stay upright, and her arms tightened around Olivia, and Olivia pressed herself as close to Jenny as she could while everything shook around them. 

A long moment later, everything stopped shaking, but Olivia didn’t leave Jenny’s arms, and Jenny didn’t let go, either. Olivia realized that she was sobbing, and she felt a moment of shame, a moment where she tried to stop, and then the moment passed, and she was sobbing big ugly sobs into Jenny’s shoulder while Jenny held her tight.

“I just don’t-- I don’t understand how the world can be so cruel,” she hiccupped.

“It’s not right,” Jenny agreed, rubbing Olivia’s back. Olivia could feel Jenny’s breath warm against her shoulder, and she held Jenny tighter.. 

And then she stepped back, still holding on to Jenny’s shoulders. Her hands were trembling, and she rather thought that if she let go, she might fall over. But there were more important things to worry about.

“We have to tell Buffy,” she said. 

“Tomorrow,” Jenny said. “It’s late. Let her have tonight.”

“But what if-- what if it happens tonight?” Olivia asked. “What if tomorrow is too late?”

“Do you think it will be?” Jenny asked.

Olivia half turned towards her books.

“I don’t know,” she said. “I can’t-- I can’t think.” She turned back to Jenny. “I can’t.”

“I know,” Jenny said. Her hands were on Olivia’s waist, anchoring her. “There’s nothing we can do tonight, okay? Let’s go. We’ll talk to Buffy tomorrow.”

“Okay.” Olivia took a deep breath. “Just let me-- let me get my things.”

“No books,” Jenny said. “Okay? You’ve done everything you can tonight.”

Olivia nodded. She felt-- empty. Like something inside her chest had gone away.

Jenny stepped a little closer and kissed her softly, just brushing her lips against Olivia’s.

“We’ll figure it out,” she said. “We’ll be there for Buffy, yeah?”

Olivia nodded. She slid her hands down to Jenny’s. Their fingers interlaced. 

“I’m going to get my things,” she said. She dropped Jenny’s hands and stepped away. She felt the loss of Jenny’s presence immediately, but she took another step back to her desk, trying not to think about the Codex, still lying open.

She picked her backpack up off the desk, looking around to see if there was anything she needed to put in it. With shaking hands, she picked up her notebook, the one with the English translation in it--  _ the Slayer will die _ \-- and slid it into the bag. 

She turned around.

“I’m ready,” she said. 

Jenny took her hand and squeezed it. She was looking at Olivia with so much love and so much sadness, and Olivia looked back with the same mix.

“I’m still making you dinner,” Jenny said. 

Olivia was so surprised by that that she laughed, and she let Jenny lead her out of her office, out of the library. The halls of Sunnydale High looked the same as they always did, unaware that one of their own had been sentenced to death; the air outside was crisp and cool, the stars shining above like nothing had happened. 

Jenny drove to her house with shaking hands. Olivia had thought that she wasn’t as affected by the news; she realized, watching Jenny drive, that Jenny was only barely keeping it together. Her eyes were fixed on the road ahead, completely still, but Olivia noticed now that her whole body was tense.

Once inside, Jenny immediately went to the kitchen and started getting out ingredients for dinner, slamming bottles onto the counter with such force that Olivia, watching from the doorway, thought they might break. She stepped forward and put her hands over Jenny’s, which were each holding a different jar from the fridge.

“You’re not in a shape to cook,” she said. “We can order delivery.”

Jenny took a long, shaky breath.

“You’re right,” she said. “God. I’m sorry. I had everything planned.”

“Another time,” Olivia said. She took the jars out of Jenny’s hands and put them back in the fridge. “I can call for Chinese. What do you want?”

“Buffy to be alive and happy,” Jenny said, her voice bleak.

Olivia waited.

“Fried rice,” Jenny said. “Maybe dumplings.”

Olivia pulled Jenny close and kissed her long and hard.

“I’ll make the call,” she said, pulling away.

“Thanks,” Jenny said, her voice exhausted, her eyes still closed.

After she finished the call, Olivia walked out into the living room to find Jenny curled up on the couch, flicking through channels on the TV. 

“Anything good?” Olivia asked.

“Not really,” Jenny said. “Reality shows.”

“A prime source of distraction in difficult times,” Olivia replied.

“Yeah, good point,” Jenny said, and she put the remote down. “I think we’ve earned some brain rot.”

Olivia sat down next to her, pulling a blanket over them both. She rested her head on Jenny’s shoulder. 

“Do you think she has a chance?” she asked.

“If anyone can defy prophecy and save the world,” Jenny said, “it’s Buffy Summers.”

They watched the TV in silence until the food arrived, and then they sat on the couch, using chopsticks to pick at food that they hadn’t even bothered to take out of the cartons. 

Once the cartons were empty, Olivia couldn’t summon the energy to move, and it seemed that Jenny couldn’t either, because she just put an arm around Olivia and drew her close. Olivia didn’t argue; she rested her head back on Jenny’s shoulder and turned her eyes back to the TV.

“Television these days really has gotten depressing,” she said, watching the newest shallow argument.

“Terrible,” Jenny agreed. “Sort of matches our lives right now.”

Olivia didn’t argue. 

She didn’t mean to fall asleep-- she hadn’t thought she’d be able to fall asleep, really, after an evening like that-- but she was tired, and so she fell asleep on Jenny’s shoulder, the voices of reality television playing in the background. 

When she woke up, it was to the sound of Jenny humming. She had wound up with her head on Jenny’s lap, somehow, glasses off, and Jenny’s hand was resting on her upper arm, fingers drumming against her skin. Olivia turned her head to look up at Jenny, who was looking back down at her, a little smile on her face.

“Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?” she asked.

“Did you sleep?” Olivia replied.

“Couldn’t,” Jenny said. “I liked the conversation about your beauty better, though.”

“So did I,” Olivia said, sitting up, “but we do have quite a few other things to deal with.”

“I know,” Jenny agreed. “I was trying to wake you up, anyway. We’re due at school in half an hour.”

“I don’t have any clothes with me,” Olivia realized. “I didn’t even think about it.”

“It doesn’t seem the most important thing,” Jenny said. “You’re welcome to borrow some of my things. I don’t know how well they’d suit your tastes, though.”

“I think I’ll just make do with this,” Olivia said, looking down at her cardigan. She picked a bit of lint off of it. “I’m not sure anyone else at that school pays attention to what I wear, anyway.”

Half an hour later, they were both in Olivia’s office in the library, Jenny looking over Olivia’s shoulder while Olivia went back over the prophecies she had been reading the night before.

“Tomorrow night,” she said, looking over another line and doing some quick math. “It’s going to happen tomorrow night.”

“Cool,” Jenny said. “So we have until tomorrow night.” She leaned over and pressed a kiss to the top of Olivia’s head. “We can do this.”

Olivia stood up and turned to face Jenny.

“We can do this,” she said. “We’re going to do this.” She kissed Jenny. Pulling back, she noticed the clock on the wall. “You need to get to class,” she said. “I’ll walk with you.”

“God,” Jenny said. “How am I supposed to teach like this?” Her eyes were still red, her hair a mess. 

“The only thing we can do in a time like this is our best,” Olivia said. “It’s okay if your best isn’t perfect.”

Jenny took a deep breath.

“Okay,” she said. “Okay. Let’s go.”

They walked out of Olivia’s office together. Just as they got to the double doors of the library, the doors were pushed open from the other side, and Buffy walked in.

“Morning,” she said, completely oblivious to the fact that Jenny and Olivia had each taken a couple of steps back and were now staring at her. “Wow. That damage looks fairly structural. Are we safe?”

Olivia had quite honestly forgotten about the damage done to the library the night before. She didn’t care much about it now, either, not when she had terrible, terrible news for the girl standing in front of her, looking so  _ young _ as she looked around the library. 

Neither Jenny nor Olivia said anything, and finally Buffy’s attention turned to them.

“Wow. You two look terrible. Sleep much?”

“Not at the moment,” Olivia said. She glanced at Jenny and made a split-second decision. “Jenny, you should get to your class.”

“But--”

“I’ll speak with Buffy,” Olivia said. She held Jenny’s eyes for a moment, trying to say everything that she didn’t feel like she could with Buffy in front of them.

Finally, Jenny nodded. She touched Olivia’s shoulder briefly, then brushed past Buffy and pushed through the library doors, leaving Olivia alone in the library with Buffy, who was looking more and more confused and worried by the moment.

“What’s going on?” 

“I’ve been going through the prophecies,” Olivia said. “It might be better if you come into my office.”

“Okay,” Buffy said, looking a little taken-aback. “What’s going on?”

“Just-- come with me,” Olivia said, leading Buffy into her office. 

Olivia had to clear a stack of books off her extra chair so that Buffy could sit down. Looking around, she realized that it was a bit of a mess. Usually, she kept her spaces very neat, but-- this wasn’t really the time for that.

“What’s going on?” Buffy asked. 

Olivia took a deep breath. She shuffled the papers on her desk. Somehow, she couldn’t make eye contact with Buffy.

“Ms. Caliban, you’re scaring me,” Buffy said. Her voice cracked. Olivia wanted to cry. 

She looked at Buffy’s wide eyes. 

“I’ve been going over the prophecies in the Pergamum Codex,” she said. “I’ve gotten to the one about you and the Master.”

“What does it say?” Buffy asked. 

Olivia hesitated for another long moment.

“Ms. Caliban?” 

“I don’t know how to tell you this,” she said, finally. “I’ve decided the best way to go ahead is to just tell you outright, in the interest of respecting your right to know what’s going on. The prophecy says-- it says that the Master will rise-- and it says--” Olivia paused, knowing that this was the one last moment in which Buffy didn’t know-- “the Slayer will die.”

Silence filled the room. Buffy’s mouth opened just a little, and then closed.

“So that’s it,” she said. “I die.” She laughed a terrible, humorless laugh. “I knew I didn’t have much time.”

“I’m so sorry,” Olivia said. She put a hand on one of Buffy’s, but Buffy jerked her hand away.

“When did you find out?” Buffy asked, her voice thin.

“Last night,” Olivia said. “We wanted-- we wanted to give you one last night before you knew.” She paused. “The prophecies all seem to say that it’s going to happen tomorrow night. Jenny and I are trying to find some way around it by then, but-- it’s been written.”

“So we’ll rewrite it,” Buffy said, fire in her eyes. “We can do that, right?”

“I’m not sure,” Olivia said. “It’s-- it’s the Codex. It’s one of the few legitimate books of prophecy that I’ve come across.”

All of the fight seemed to go out of Buffy. She deflated in her chair, and when she spoke, her voice was quiet.

“But-- I’m sixteen,” she said. “I’m too young to die.”

“Yes,” Olivia agreed. “You really are. And if there’s even a possibility of a way around this, I will find it.”

Buffy looked back up at her.

“I have a way,” she said. “I quit.”

Olivia didn’t have a response to that.

“I quit,” Buffy repeated. “I’m not going to be the Slayer anymore. Someone else can take care of the Master. He can take over Sunnydale for all I care. I’m out of here.”

Before Olivia could say anything, Buffy was standing. 

“I’m late for Biology,” she said. She was shaking as she left.

Olivia let her walk out. It was her right not to fight. Olivia was sure she would have reacted the same way, if she had been sixteen and someone had told her she was going to die because she had been chosen to save the world. 

But-- on the other hand, this meant that someone was going to have to go after the Master. Which meant that now, Olivia was almost thirty, and she knew what responsibilities she had to the world. She knew what she had to do.

Olivia started whittling stakes.

When Jenny came in at lunch, she found Olivia sitting at her desk, surrounded by wood shavings, completely fixated on translating more of the Codex. Olivia didn’t even notice her come in until she asked, “How did it go with Buffy?”

Olivia jumped a foot in the air.

“Sorry,” Jenny said.

“Buffy quit,” Olivia said, putting down her pen. “She said she’s done being the Slayer.”

“Can she do that?” Jenny asked.

Olivia looked up at Jenny.

“I don’t think we can stop her,” she said. “It’s her right. It’s just that someone still has to go after the Master.” 

Olivia could see in Jenny’s eyes the exact moment she realized what Olivia was saying.

“You want to do it,” Jenny said.

“I don’t want to,” Olivia said, “but I can’t just let this happen, and it’s not fair for Buffy to have to do it.”

“Olivia, no.”

“It’s our only option,” Olivia said. She was holding back tears again. “I don’t want it to be, but-- better me than her.”

“If the  _ Slayer _ facing the Master will die,” Jenny said, “what’s going to happen to the Slayer’s high school librarian?”

“I don’t know,” Olivia said. She looked back at her books. “I just know that I can’t make Buffy do this.”

Jenny took Olivia’s hand and pulled her to a standing position. 

“I’m worried I’m going to lose you,” she said, pushing a loose strand of hair behind Olivia’s ear. “Is that-- is that selfish?”

“I think it’s natural,” Olivia said. “For what it’s worth, I don’t want to lose you either.”

Jenny almost smiled.

“You’re too good,” she said. “I can’t talk you out of this?”

Olivia shook her head.

Jenny’s face settled into a resolved expression.

“Then I’m coming with you,” she said. “How many stakes did you make?”

“Oh-- no-- you can’t,” Olivia said.

“What do you mean, I can’t?” Jenny asked. She held both of Olivia’s hands in her own. “Look. You’re going on a death mission. You’re one person with no superpowers. If I go with you, the chances of it actually being a death mission are lower,  _ plus _ , we have a higher chance of actually saving the world. Not to mention that I’m a grown adult, and therefore, I get to make my own choices, even if my own choices are dumb and get me killed. All right?”

“Okay,” Olivia said. She pulled Jenny into a hug. “Thank you,” she said, her voice muffled by Jenny’s jacket.

“No problem,” Jenny said.

They stood like that, holding each other close, until they heard Willow’s voice from the library calling, “Ms. Caliban? Are you here?”

“I’m in here,” Olivia called, separating herself from Jenny. “You can come in.”

The door opened, and Willow poked her head in around it.

“Hi,” she said. “Oh, good, you’re both here.”

“What’s up?” Jenny asked. She managed to sound completely casual, even though a moment ago she’d been holding back tears.

“It’s Buffy,” Willow said. “She says she quit Slaying.”

“Yes,” Olivia said.

“She won’t tell me why,” Willow said, “but I know that earthquake yesterday wasn’t a real earthquake, and I know the Master is up to something. I don’t know. I guess I just got worried, and I want to know if Buffy’s okay.”

“It’s the sort of thing that she’s going to have to tell you herself,” Olivia said. 

“Okay,” Willow said. “I guess she’ll tell me if she wants.” She stood in the doorway looking concerned for a moment, and then she said, “Can I help you guys with anything?”

Olivia and Jenny looked at each other.

“I mean,” Willow continued, “if it’s bad enough that Buffy’s quit, it has to be pretty bad, and-- I know you two probably aren’t giving up just because the Slayer’s quit. So I want to help.”

She looked as scared as Olivia felt. Olivia’s heart went out to her. 

“We would love for you to work with us on the research,” she said, carefully emphasizing the word “research.” She knew that if Willow wanted to tag along for the actual staking part of the adventure, Olivia wouldn’t be able to stop her, but she wasn’t about to encourage it. 

“Okay,” Willow said. “What do we know?”

“The Master will rise tomorrow night,” Olivia said. “The prophecy says that the Slayer will meet the Anointed One and he will lead her to him, but I’m thinking that might be one of the parts that gets rewritten.”

“Also,” Jenny added, “there are reports of strange things happening all over the greater Sunnydale area, and I’ve got a hookup with a monk who might know more.”

“You do?” Olivia asked.

“Some new developments,” Jenny explained. “I was going to bring it up, but we were arguing.”

“You were arguing?” Willow asked.

“Just a little,” Jenny said. “Nothing to worry about.”

“I think what we need right now are strategies for killing the Master without getting close enough for a hand-to-hand fight,” Olivia said. 

“I can work on that between classes,” Willow said. 

“I’ll keep translating these prophecies,” Olivia said. “There might be more that can help us.”

“And I’ll see if I can get in touch with that monk,” Jenny said. 

“Thank you both,” Olivia said. “You know that you don’t have to be doing this.”

“Neither do you,” Jenny replied.

“I want to help,” Willow insisted.

“Thank you,” Olivia repeated. 

They spent the rest of lunch on research. By the end of it, Willow had a couple of ideas, Olivia had a few more translations, and Jenny had information about the Anointed One.

“Brother Luca thinks it’s a child.”

“A child?” Olivia asked. “Why do children keep being put in these terrible positions?”

“If it helps,” Jenny said, “I’m reasonably sure it’s a vampire child.”

“It doesn’t much,” Olivia replied.

“I should get to class,” Jenny said. “Willow, you can be excused today if you like.”

“No,” Willow said. “I should go and see if Buffy’s there, at least. Thanks, though.”

“I’ll see you both later, then,” Olivia said. And then she pulled Jenny by the hand and gave her a quick kiss, because if they were going to go running after the Master the next day, Olivia didn’t know how many kisses they had left, and she wanted to make the most of what she had while she had it. And Willow knew about them already, so it wasn’t like it was a huge risk.

“See you,” Jenny said, squeezing Olivia’s hand before letting go. “Coming, Willow?”

Willow, red in the face, nodded, stumbling over her words. 

“Yes!” she said. “Sorry. Class. Bye, Ms. Caliban!”

She followed Jenny out, and Olivia turned back to her books, smiling to herself. Maybe lots of things were bad, but Jenny was still soft and kind, and Willow was still a sweet kid. 

Willow was back sixth period, and by now she was ready to start putting ideas into action.

“Xander said we could try holy water balloons,” she said to Olivia. “I don’t think it’ll work, but anything’s worth a shot, right?” She paused. “Really, all of my good ideas involve fire.”

“Fire is a good plan, I think,” Olivia said. “I’ve established that the Master is trying to open the Hellmouth, but I don’t quite know where the Hellmouth opens.”

“Well, we can research that,” Willow said. “I think it must be around the school, because of all the vampires we get.”

“I’ll look in the stacks for literature about Hellmouths,” Olivia said. “I’m sure there’s an index around here somewhere.”

“I’ll check the Internet,” Willow said.

“Are you sure this is how you want to spend your Friday afternoon?” Olivia asked. “You could be doing all sorts of things with your time.”

“I’m worried about my friends,” Willow said. “I was serious when I said I wanted to help, you know.”

“Just checking,” Olivia said.

She and Willow went about their research for about an hour before Jenny joined them. Together, the three of them worked until about six in the evening, at which point Jenny said, “I think we’ve got some good material, and we’re going to need a good night’s sleep tonight. Let’s call it a day and come back tomorrow.”

“I’m bringing books with me this time,” Olivia said. “Don’t argue.”

“I won’t,” Jenny said. “Willow, you need a ride home?”

Willow nodded.

“Cool.” 

The three of them packed their bags (Olivia’s was full to bursting; she didn’t want to be caught without a book she needed) and got into Jenny’s car. 

“When are you guys going to get there tomorrow?” Willow asked before she got out.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can justify it to myself,” Olivia said. “I want to get this right.”

“Okay,” Willow said. “I told Cordelia I’d help her set up the sound system for the dance in the morning, but then after I can come.”

“Sounds good,” Jenny said. “Thank you, Willow.”

“It’s no big,” Willow said. “Thanks for the ride, Ms. Calendar.”

Willow slid out of the car, and Olivia and Jenny waited until she had gotten to her door to drive away.

“Do you want to stay at my place again?” Jenny asked Olivia. “I’m not so sure about being alone right now. I’ll make you dinner for real this time.”

“I agree that now is this is not a time in which anyone should be alone,” Olivia said. “But would it be possible to go by my house to pick up some clothes first?”

“Yeah, of course,” Jenny said. She drove to Olivia’s house. Olivia ran in and packed pajamas, clothes for the next day, patrol clothes, a toothbrush, a hairbrush, and a few stakes for good measure into a small bag. She went back outside and into Jenny’s car.

“All set?” Jenny asked.

“I hope so,” Olivia said. She buckled her seatbelt. 

Jenny did make her dinner. It was a beautiful meal, eaten by candlelight, clearly meticulously planned during a better time. But it felt surreal, somehow, having what was basically a date in the middle of fearing for everyone’s lives. Olivia could barely eat, she was so nervous about what would happen the next day. 

At least she got to look at Jenny the whole time. Goodness, but she was beautiful. 

Too bad they might both die soon. 

After they had finished eating, Olivia insisted on helping clean up-- “It’s the least I can do,” she said, “not to mention a welcome distraction.”

Jenny didn’t argue. She just stood next to Olivia in the cramped kitchen, washing dishes and putting away leftovers, until everything was clean. When the job was done, they stood in front of the sink, looking at each other, fidgeting awkwardly.

“Dance with me,” Jenny said suddenly.

“What?” Olivia asked.

“Dance with me,” Jenny repeated. “Look. It might be my last night left on Earth, and if it’s my last night left on Earth, I want to spend it dancing with you.”

“With no music?” Olivia asked.

“I can put on some music,” Jenny said. “Come on.”

“Okay,” Olivia said. “I’ll dance with you.”

Jenny smiled. She gave Olivia a quick kiss and moved past her to the living room. Olivia followed, watching Jenny walk to the stereo and pick out a CD. A moment later, a soft, sweet song was flowing through the room; Olivia didn’t recognize it, but that didn’t mean much. She didn’t listen to a lot of music.

Jenny approached Olivia, sidestepping her couch in order to do so. She held out a hand, half a smile on her face. Olivia took it, and Jenny pulled her close. Olivia rested a hand on Jenny’s waist, and Jenny reached up to her shoulder. Her head curled against Olivia’s chest, and Olivia pulled her close, holding her carefully, like she was delicate. (Not that Olivia would ever call Jenny delicate.)

They swayed like that until the song ended, stepping around the room, Olivia’s cheek against Jenny’s hair,, her lips often coming to rest against Jenny’s head.

As the song end, Olivia felt a great sense of peace well up inside her. She brushed her lips against Jenny’s hair again, and then she said, “I hope this isn’t too forward, but if we die tomorrow, I want you to know that I love you.”

Jenny looked up at her at that. “What?”

The next song on the album started playing, but Olivia and Jenny stood still.

“I love you,” Olivia repeated. “I’m not often one for grand romantic gestures, but now seems like the time for it.”

“You love me,” Jenny said, her eyes shining. 

“You don’t have to say it back or anything,” Olivia said quickly. “I just thought you should know.”

“No, I-- I definitely love you,” Jenny said. “I just never thought I’d be able to say it.”

“Neither did I,” Olivia said. It was the truth. “I guess that’s what an imminent death does for you.”

“Somehow, I’m not as comforted as I want to be,” Jenny said. “Not much point in loving each other if we’re dead.”

“There’s always a point to love,” Olivia said. “Even if we don’t see it.”

“I’ll take it,” Jenny said, and she stretched onto her tiptoes to kiss Olivia, winding her hands around Olivia’s neck. Olivia kissed her back, careful, passionate, all at once, her hands resting solidly on Jenny’s waist. She felt warmed from the inside, the music in the background, Jenny’s breath hot against hers, marking her as so very  _ alive _ . Olivia wished she could freeze this moment and live in it forever. 

When Jenny pulled away and Olivia opened her eyes, she saw Jenny looking back up at her, her face full of so much trust, more trust than she had ever expected from Jenny.

“I hope we don’t die tomorrow,” Olivia whispered.

“Let’s not think about it,” Jenny said, and she pulled Olivia even closer. “Come on. Dance with me, Olivia.”

And Olivia did.

She danced, and she tried to forget that she might die, and Jenny might die, and Buffy might die. She tried to forget about the prophecies, and the Master, and the weapons collecting in the library. 

She didn’t quite get there, but that was to be expected. At least she managed to fall asleep, curled up in Jenny’s arms, feeling a little closer to safe.

When she woke up the next morning, it was to a feeling of comfort, safety, and then, a moment later, a complete wall of fear. Jenny’s arm was still draped over her, despite the fact that both of them had shifted in the night, and Olivia tried to stop herself from actually shaking with fear. She didn’t want to disturb Jenny, who was still asleep, her expression relaxed. 

It didn’t work. Jenny’s eyes fluttered open.

“Olivia,” she said, and Olivia almost melted to hear the way Jenny said her name.

“Good morning,” she said, aware that her voice was higher pitched than usual.

Jenny pushed herself up on her elbow.

“Are you all right?” she asked.

“No,” Olivia said. “I suppose I don’t see much point in pretending otherwise.”

“What time is it?” Jenny asked.

“I don’t know,” Olivia said. She sat up and glanced at Jenny’s nightstand. The clock said that it was seven in the morning. Impending doom led to waking up early, it seemed. “Early.”

“We should get to the library,” Jenny said. “We have a lot of work to do.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Olivia said. She knew her voice was shaking, but this was what had to be done. She was going to do what had to be done. 

Jenny’s hand was on her back, a reassuring touch.

“Are you going to be all right?” she asked.

“I don’t think it matters,” Olivia answered, honestly. “We have work to do.”

Half an hour later, they were back at the Sunnydale High library, researching and stockpiling weapons. It was surprisingly easy to find weapons in Sunnydale-- Jenny went out to a local sports store and came back with crossbows and knives and even something approaching a sword. Olivia didn’t know the first thing about  _ using _ a sword, to be sure, but it was nice to know that she had the option.

By noon, they were onto making a plan, using Willow’s notes from the day before. Willow herself wasn’t there; Olivia was a little bit worried, but she knew Willow could take care of herself, and there was always a chance that she had decided not to come help. (Olivia ignored the little voice in her head telling her that Willow would have called, at the very least. There was no time for those voices. Not right now.)

It was almost sundown when the library doors pushed open and Buffy, Willow, and Xander walked in. Buffy’s hair was up, and she was wearing a gorgeous white dress underneath a leather jacket, completely inappropriate for what crossbow she had in one hand suggested she was there to do. Willow was hiding behind Buffy, her hair covering her face; Xander looked pale, but determined. 

Olivia and Jenny looked up from their diagrams and charts as they walked in. Neither Olivia nor Jenny said anything; they both waited for Buffy.

“I can’t quit,” Buffy said. “I-- I understand.”

Olivia stood. 

“No,” she said. “You can. You’re too young to go through this.”

“Thanks,” Buffy said, “but I’m going, and you can’t stop me.”

“Let us come with you,” Jenny said.

“What?”

“Let us come with you,” repeated Jenny. “Let us help. We won’t get too close, I promise. But if you do die, someone’s going to have to take on the Master.”

“I can’t let you,” Buffy said. “You’re all risking your lives.”

“So are you,” Willow said, her voice tentative and barely there. 

“Yeah,” Xander agreed. “I want a shot at the big scary death.”

“No,” Olivia said again. “You’re both too young, too.”

“I’d like to see you stop us,” Xander said. 

“Fine,” Buffy said. “We go together. What’s the plan?”

Olivia and Jenny explained what they’d drawn up, the diagrams and the weapons and the plots, and together they adjusted everything for a larger group. 

“You all have to stay back,” Buffy said. “I’m the Slayer. I’m the one who has to do this.”

“Fat chance,” Xander muttered.

“Xander,” Olivia warned, “this is dangerous.”

“Fine,” he said. “I’ll stay back. But only if you give me a flamethrower.”

“That can be arranged,” Jenny assured him.

It was at least another hour until they were all ready, each wielding weapons they barely knew how to use. They followed Buffy outside. She seemed to know where she was going, and they didn’t question it; finally, they were all standing in front of a child with solemn blue eyes.

“They can’t come,” he said. “You have to be alone.”

“Tough luck,” Buffy said. 

The boy looked at her for a moment, then away, disinterested. 

“Fine,” he said. “You’re all going to die anyway.”

Buffy followed the boy, and the group followed Buffy, a few feet behind. The boy led Buffy down through a manhole into a tunnel, but before everyone else could follow, a mysterious figure ran right into Olivia, who stumbled into Jenny and Willow, who in turn was pushed into Xander.

The figure stepped back, a shadow lifting to reveal Angel.

“Sorry,” he said. “I was trying to help Buffy.”

“Well, you’ve just hurt our chances,” Xander said. “She’s in that manhole.”

Angel looked behind him at the manhole. 

“What?”

“The Anointed One dragged her in there,” Jenny explained. “We’re going after her. You’re welcome to join us.”

“But you’re--”

“Weak and human, we get it,” Jenny agreed. “Are you coming or not?”

“I’m coming,” Angel said, his eyes darting from one person to another. He looked over his shoulder. “Is that where they went in?”

“Yes,” Olivia said. 

Without another word, Angel dropped through the manhole. Olivia went in after, a bit more carefully, since she had forgotten her patrolling shoes the night before and therefore was still wearing a slight heel. There was a ladder, fortunately, so she didn’t have to just jump in like Angel had done.

Once on the ground, she looked around. It was dim, and there seemed to be an undeniable moistness in the air. The ground was solid, though, which was a relief; Olivia had imagined this to be a sewer. 

“Which way did they go?” Jenny asked, hopping off the ladder.

“That way,” Angel said, pointing. “I can smell.”

“That’s really creepy,” Jenny said.

“You’re telling me,” Angel replied.

Willow and Xander came down, and then they all set off down the tunnel, their footsteps echoing around them. With each step they took, Olivia grew more and more apprehensive-- at some point during the day, she had stopped literally shaking with fear, but now she was growing closer and closer to that point.

They had been walking for something like ten minutes when there was a flash of light from somewhere up ahead. Olivia blinked.

“What was that?” Jenny asked.

“Nothing good,” Angel answered.

“Thanks, Captain Obvious,” Jenny said.

“This is so not the time,” Olivia said, and she picked up her pace.

A moment later, they were standing in a sort of cave. It was bare and unoccupied, except for--

Except for--

Buffy was lying face-down in a pool of water. 

For a moment, Olivia couldn’t think. She heard Jenny calling out next to her, and she heard Willow start crying from behind. Angel and Xander had already started running towards Buffy.

Olivia stepped forward as a different part of her brain took charge. She had taken a first responder course as part of her degree in college, and her certification had long since expired (she needed to get on that, really, just for times like these), but the instincts the course had ingrained into her hadn’t faded.

“Stop,” she said. 

To her surprise, Angel and Xander both halted completely and turned back to her.

“We have to do this right,” she said. “She might still be alive.” She kicked off her shoes and walked to the pool of water, stepping right in. The water went up to her ankles, but she ignored it in favor of positioning herself at Buffy’s head and looking up at the others. “Can you all help me lift her?”

The others came forward, and Olivia directed Angel and Xander to Buffy’s shoulders and Willow and Jenny to her hips. Together, they lifted Buffy and moved her onto the shore, setting her down lightly on the rocks. Olivia wasted no time in rolling her onto her back and checking for a pulse.

There wasn’t one.

Which was bad, but not the end of the world.

There were bite marks on Buffy’s neck and she was completely unresponsive, but-- there was still a chance. Olivia looked around for something to use to stop the bleeding. In the absence of any bandages (Olivia kicked herself for not thinking to bring a first aid kit), Olivia tore off a piece of her own shirt and tied it tightly around Buffy’s neck.

“Angel, do you know CPR?” she asked.

Angel looked surprised. 

“I don’t have breath,” he said.

“But you can do the chest compressions,” Olivia said, “and you have far more strength than I do.”

“Sorry,” Angel said. “I never learned. They didn’t exactly have CPR where I come from.”

“I’ll show you,” Olivia said.

“I know CPR,” Willow said. “Xander and I both learned for school.”

“Do you want to do the rescue breathing if I can get her mouth open?” Olivia asked. 

“Okay,” Willow said, coming over.

Olivia crouched over Buffy’s chest and looked up at Angel. 

“It’s easy,” she explained. “You just have to make sure you lock your elbows and get a good pace.” She leaned over and started compressions. She didn’t know if she was strong enough to revive a Slayer, but it was worth a shot. 

She finished the compressions and leaned over to put her hands gently on Buffy’s jaw, easing her mouth open. She hated seeing Buffy like this, with no more fight left in her. 

As Willow breathed into Buffy, Olivia asked Angel, “Do you think you can do that?”

Angel nodded and crouched across from Olivia.

“Thirty compressions,” Olivia said.

He nodded again.

“Don’t worry about hurting her.”

Willow sat up, and Angel started on the second round of compressions with complete focus.

“How do you know how to do this?” Jenny asked. She was standing over Buffy still, next to Olivia. 

Olivia looked up at her. 

“Any good library science program includes a first responder course,” she said. “We never know what we as librarians are going to have to face. Although I’ll admit I don’t quite know what the protocol is for reviving a Slayer.”

Angel sat back, and Willow breathed into Buffy once more. They repeated this twice more-- it felt to Olivia like it was taking too long and also not long enough, Buffy’s life hanging in the balance, everyone waiting with bated breath. 

And then, as Willow breathed into her for the fourth time, Buffy coughed, and Olivia wasted no time in rolling her on her side, cradling her head with one arm. This was the part that Olivia had hoped she would never have to do, but Buffy just coughed up some water. Olivia rolled her back and checked her neck for a pulse once more--

And there was one. There was a pulse. Olivia almost cried with relief, but she knew it wasn’t over yet.

“There’s a pulse,” she said, looking up at the others. “She’s alive.” She looked back at Buffy just in time to see Buffy’s eyes open.

“Buffy?” Willow was saying. 

Buffy didn’t answer-- she just started coughing again, and Olivia rolled her onto her side until she was done, at which point Buffy sat up of her own volition. 

“Are you okay?” Willow asked.

Buffy looked around.

“What happened?”

“You drowned,” Xander said. “Also, it turns out Ms. Caliban is a badass.”

“Where’s the Master?” Buffy asked.

“We don’t know,” Angel said. 

“I have to go after him,” Buffy said, pushing herself to a standing position.

“Hold on,” Jenny said. “You just died.”

“We’re all going to die if I don’t fix this,” Buffy said. “Don’t worry. I feel good. I feel-- strong. Different.” And she walked over to where her crossbow had fallen, picked it up, and started walking.

The group hurried to follow her. Olivia realized she had forgotten to pick up her shoes-- she was now walking in nothing but damp stockings. But there wasn’t time for that-- not when Buffy had just been dead and was now walking like nothing had happened, like she had only just set out.

“How do you know where you’re going?” Xander asked.

“I just know,” Buffy said.

Maybe this was the second part of the prophecy. The unwritten part.

They walked to the high school, of all places. Vampires jumped out of them as they walked in, but Buffy really was in top form, somehow; she managed to knock each vampire out of the way before they even knew what was happening. Finally, they were at a door that went to the roof, and Buffy turned to the group and said, “You guys stay here. Make sure no one gets in after me. I don’t need more vampires to deal with.”

“Are you sure?” Olivia asked.

“I’m sure,” Buffy said. “I need to do this alone.”

Willow ran forward and hugged her.

“You’re my best friend,” she said, voice muffled. “Don’t die again.”

Buffy had a small smile on her face when Willow pulled away, the sort of smile that Olivia didn’t think she was even aware of.

“I’ll do my best,” she said. “Thanks, you guys.”

And she went through the door.

More vampires did try to follow, but Angel took care of them easily-- the rest of the group never had to lift a finger, which was good, because for all Olivia had been ready to kill the Master herself, she didn’t actually know how to fight vampires. Instead, she stood as close to Jenny as she dared, glancing back at the roof access door every few seconds.

And then… everything went silent.

Olivia hadn’t realized how noisy this whole thing had been-- there had been sounds of fighting, sounds of running, and sounds that Olivia hoped she never found out the origins of, but she had tuned them out in favor of focusing on Buffy’s safety. But now there was nothing to tune out, and she, Jenny, Angel, Willow, and Xander looked at each other.

“What happened?” Jenny asked.

No one answered.

A minute later, Buffy came back through the door, her wet hair hanging around her face, crossbow at her side.

“Master’s dead,” she said. “The Hellmouth is in the library.”

“I’m somehow not surprised,” Olivia said. Although that did mean she might want to tighten security on some of the more dangerous spellbooks.

“And you’re okay?” Willow asked.

Buffy looked startled for a moment, like a deer in headlights, and then she burst into tears with a great big sniff.

“Sorry,” Willow said.

“No, it’s okay,” Buffy said with a shaky smile. “It’s just been a really weird day.”

“A day you’ve dealt with admirably,” Olivia said. “Of course death couldn’t stop you.”

Buffy’s smile became more solid.

“So,” Jenny said, “what now?”

“I hear there’s a dance at the Bronze,” Xander said. “We could always go to that.”

“Sure,” Buffy said. “We saved the world. I say we party.”

“Are you guys coming?” Willow asked, looking at Olivia and Jenny.

“I’m in,” Jenny said. “Olivia?”

“Sure,” Olivia said. 

Jenny smiled at her, and Olivia’s heart felt warm. 

“I can drive,” Jenny offered. “Not sure I can fit everyone in my car, though.”

“We’ll squeeze in,” Buffy said. 

They stopped at the ruined library first to get their things, but they did all squeeze in, fitting Buffy, Angel, Xander, and Willow all in the back seat.

“Normally I would never allow this,” Jenny assured them as she pulled out of the parking lot, “but it’s hardly the most dangerous thing we’ve done today.”

The dance was crowded-- Olivia was immediately overwhelmed. She stuck to the edges with Jenny, watching the others mingle. Buffy got Angel to dance with her a few times, and Xander seemed to be having a good time dancing on his own. Willow was at one of the tables with a drink, and every so often Buffy (plus Angel) or Xander would come sit with her for a bit before heading back out to the dance floor.

“So,” Jenny said. “We saved the day. Not bad for a bunch of high school kids and their teacher friends.”

“It’s pretty amazing, actually,” Olivia replied, smiling.

“Are you okay?” Jenny asked. “That was a lot.”

“I will be,” Olivia said. “I’ve never had to do CPR before. Are you okay?”

“About the same,” Jenny said. “Glad it’s over.”

“Me, too,” Olivia said.

She felt Jenny’s hand bump against hers, and she took it, not caring about what people would think. After all, it was hardly the most dangerous thing they’d done that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I'm a Wilderness First Responder, and so the scene where they rescue Buffy is more or less accurate to what I learned last May in my WFR class. The main differences between what I would do in this situation and what happened in the fic are 1. Willow knows how to do rescue breathing, which they don't teach in regular CPR classes anymore, and which they tell you not to do without a mask (although it would be in character for the people in this scene to do it without the mask anyway, since they all care a lot about Buffy), and 2. Buffy is revived a lot faster than is realistic, which I'm chalking up to Slayer healing.
> 
> This is the longest fic (actually, probably the longest work) I've ever actually finished-- if you've stuck with it, thank you so much! And I hope you've enjoyed your time here :-) I'll probably write more in this AU eventually. There are six more seasons to play with, after all, and I have ideas to bring in more ASoUE characters as well (and maybe make better use of Olaf-as-principal).


End file.
